Raven: Story Of My Life
by CasaNova73099
Summary: Born under rare circumstances, Raven was both blessed and cursed with extraordinary powers. Read on to explore not only the events that led to her birth, but of her formative years under her mentor, the tragic events that led her to flee Azarath, and her thoughts during certain events of the animated series, culminating in a final showdown against her father and her very self…
1. Introduction

Hello readers. As many of you probably remembered or have realized, I disappeared off the grid for a considerable amount of time. Part of the reason was because I was deeply "annoyed" by the half-hearted enforced rules directed towards songfics on this site, and the fact that I needed to remove my two songfics. The other reason was due to number of personal setbacks. As melodramatic as it sounds, I became immersed in constant depression, anger and bitterness, and I basically lost interest in writing and anything about fanfiction. I was in a dark place in my life, you guys. Actually in some ways I still am. But then, I got a review from a reader about two months ago on the story/info blurb I posted when I originally took down the Soundtrack stories: 

**"Where can I go to read it...o-o"**

As short and sweet as the review was, it was a bit of a reality check for me. While I was off being angry and hellbent on never associating with this site again, I had forgotten about how my actions affected the ones that matter. Granted, originally all I had to do was just remove the song lyrics and call it a day, but it was the concept of the matter. And after some deliberating and tweaking (and griping as I really want to keep the story in its original and intended format), I'm reposting Raven's story sans song lyrics, which as you can see, has now been renamed Raven: Story of My Life. As a bonus, I'm merging the stories, A Safe Haven and Color Me Blue into Raven: SOML. Since CMB was never completed when it was on its own, it'll serve as a little treat to those who have been long fans to the series as they will finally see that particular chapter in Raven's early life on Azarath completed.

Keep in mind that updates will come in large ebbs and flows since most of the story has already been completed, and so without further ado, welcome to (or welcome back) to Raven and the story of her life…


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

It was an atypical Friday afternoon in Gotham City, New Jersey. The sky was of a golden orange hue and there was a bit of a chill to the autumn air. Minutes ago, the school bell over at Rockaway High School rang, signaling the end of the school day, and the hundreds of teens instructed here thundered out of the school in noisy cacophony, apparently raring to go and start the weekend. That is for all except one student it seemed. Standing idly towards the top of the landing of the stairs that led to the school, was a timid young girl: Angela Roth. She looked to be no older than seventeen, and was fairly easy on the eyes, what with her long black hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, and icy blue eyes that seem to stare right through you. She also wore a striped bluish-green and white shirt under a khaki colored jacket along with a pair of faded denim jeans rolled up to the knee and a pair of white tennis shoes. Angela's eyes nervously darted around the schoolyard as if in search of something or someone, and eventually after several minutes, she slowly made her way down the stairs and through the crowd of her 'beloved peers'.

Angela was never really popular in school. Actually, she wasn't that popular at all, and many did all in their power to avoid her. Some had heard of the rumors that Angela was regularly beaten by her father. It was even speculated that this was also the reason why her mother had died so suddenly, and therefore were afraid to befriend her for fear of their own personal safety. Others however were reluctant to befriend Angela simply because she was what they considered to be 'weird'. Not surprisingly, as she walked by, no one did as much as bat an eyelash to acknowledge that she was even there. As she neared the bus stop, Angela spotted several of the preppy kids talking loudly and prattling on about their so-called lives. Not wanting to hear their mindless chatter (and not in such a great hurry to head home anyway), Angela opted to take the scenic route on foot over the twenty-minute bus ride.

About an hour later, she arrived in front of a dingy and tiny two-story house whose front yard was littered with trash and other debris. _'Home sweet home'_, she thought to herself as she quietly opened the gate and crept up the stairs. Angela neared her apartment door and gingerly used her keys to unlock it. When she entered, the apartment was unusually still. There was no TV or radio blaring in the background and all of the lights were turned off. However, Angela didn't need the lights to see how filthy the apartment was or to see where she was going. Concluding that either her father was not home or fast asleep (she earnestly prayed for the former), Angela swiftly but silently made her way up the stairs that led to the bedrooms in the dark, just in case he really was asleep. Thirteen steps later, Angela was almost home free. As she neared the landing, her bedroom door was a mere seven footsteps away and once on the other side of that door, she would be safe. In all the years of the verbal and physical abuse, Angela's father never once dared to harass her while she was in her bedroom. This was discovered the first few times she ran for sanctuary within those four walls, and found it odd when he would stop in the middle of his rampage right at the doorway. But now, she simply used it to her advantage. Her room, as it should, was her only safe haven from the world…

"Where have you been?"

Angela practically jumped 2 feet into the air and whirled around to find a burly man of six feet even leaning up against the doorway to the master bedroom. His normally gray eyes were bloodshot red and his face was scrunched up into a menacing scowl. "I'm just getting home from school," stuttered Angela, cautiously backing away and towards her bedroom door. From where she was standing, she could smell the alcohol on his person, and in his present state, he was more irrational and dangerous than usual.

"Why did it take you so long to get here then?" slurred Mr. Roth. He attempted to rise from the door way, but then staggered back from lack of balance.

"I missed the bus," fibbed Angela, eyes still locked with his and blindly reaching for the bedroom door. "Liar!" Mr. Roth bellowed, and for a drunken man of a husky 280 pounds, surprisingly bounded from the doorway and towards her. Angela hurriedly reached for the doorknob and slid into her bedroom. She twirled around and with her body weight shoved the door closed. However, Mr. Roth was already by the door at this time, and at only a scant 100 pounds, Angela was thrown back by the force of the older man crashing into the door. Angela tried to kick the door close, but instead her father reached out and grabbed her by the leg, dragging her out into the hallway. Angela wiggled free and frantically crawled back into the room, screaming bloody murder and with tears streaming down her face. When she neared the foot of her bed, Mr. Roth was right behind her, and with a swift blow, Angela found herself crashing head on into the wooden frame. As she laid there on the floor with this juggernaut looming over her, Angela winced, knowing all too well of the onslaught soon to follow …

Hours passed and Angela finally came to. She was quite surprised that she did really, for it seemed that the violence intensified each and every time she was beaten. The stinging cuts on her head, lip and arms and the soreness that engulfed her petite body were proof of it. But the thing that bothered Angela the most was the fact that her father no longer viewed her room as a sort of neutral zone. What was she to do now? Social services seemed to constantly turn a deaf ear on the whole matter. No one in school cared about her. She had no older siblings to run to, no aunts or uncles, and her paternal grandparents were in bad standing with her father, so she couldn't rely on them to save her. And her maternal grandparents died several years back from a heart attack and terminal illness. Frustrated and exhausted, Angela reached out with her left arm (since she was lying on her right hand side) and feebly waved it until it finally pushed the bedroom door closed. It was then when she noticed the enormous bruise on her left hand and moaned in displeasure. She then forced herself off the floor and locked the door. Slowly making her way to her dresser, Angela opened the topmost drawer and took out the usual: rubbing alcohol, bandages, cotton balls and gauze, and set to mending her wounds. When she was all cleaned up, she stared into her reflection in the vanity mirror and frowned in disgust. There was once upon a time when others would say that she greatly favored her late mother. Both of them had the same blue eyes and the same sweet face. And in a way, they still looked like one another, only now, they both had inherited black and blue eyes and nicks and cuts to decorate their bodies. And unless something was done, Angela would also share the same fate as her mother: beaten and strangled to death by a man who claimed to love her for better or for worse.

When this crossed her mind, something inside of Angela clicked. The soft-spoken wallflower had witnessed and endured quite a lot in her life, but the one thing that she would absolutely not permit to happen was the loss of her life and possibly even her innocence, especially to that monster of a man who dared to call himself a father, and she was sure that she was not going to wait around to found out. It was now official. With no place to call home, hardly any money to her name and no moral support from family and friends, Angela Roth vowed on that night to find a place to which she truly belonged, someplace far away from this home sweet home…


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

It was a little after midnight and the overcast sky foretold of rain. It had been nearly two hours since Angela came to the conclusion that she indeed had to leave home in search of refuge. Step by step, bit by bit, Angela crept back and forward throughout her room, carefully combing through every drawer and box for anything of importance and value. Eventually she had a little pile of items lying on her bed: a worn-out old teddy bear that her mother had given her as a child, several photos of Angela and her mother, a flashlight, batteries, a mini first-aid kit and her journal. Angela then headed back towards her dresser and fumbled around for a change of clothes that was comfortable yet warm. She wasn't having much luck, since most of her fall and winter clothes were still boxed up in the basement, and Angela really didn't want to waste time or risk tipping off her father, so she instead chose a few sweat suits thinking that they could work as extra layers. As she pulled some out of the drawer, a tiny black pouch tumbled out of one of the pockets and onto the floor. Curious, Angela unzipped it and was surprised to find twenty dollars and some loose change. She then stuffed the pouch into her jacket pocket and proceeded to pack her bag.

When she was done, her eyes fell upon the alarm clock over on the other side of the clock for what seemed like the thousandth time today, and once again, anxiety consumed her. True she was unhappy and downright miserable with the way things were, but at the same time this place and this life was the only thing she ever knew, and the thought of going it alone in the world terrified her almost as much as a beating from her dad. Where would she go? What would she do for food, money and shelter? The longer Angela sat on her bed pondering these things, the more she contemplated on staying put. But then her sad eyes would fall on the framed picture hanging on the wall, that one hypocritical picture of a dream family lost forever. In the center of the picture was a much happier Angela at about age 10 standing beside a very sober looking and clean-shaven Mr. Roth and a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and shimmering blue eyes. Although the picture was taken of the three from the waist up, it was evident that the woman was pregnant, 5 months to be exact.

"God how I wish you were still here," whispered Angela. "The both of you. Then maybe things wouldn't be so bad."

Eventually after much debating, Angela summoned the courage to take that first step and she carefully crept to her bedroom door and opened it. As she peered through the opening, she could see that her father's bedroom door was closed. Leery, she waited for what seemed like an eternity before proceeding any further. Down the staircase she crept and she was almost out the front door when a snort was heard coming from the living. For the second time that day, Angela nearly jumped out of her skin and instinctively threw her arms up to protect her face from the inevitable...

And was surprised when nothing ever came. Lowering her arms to see, there was Mr. Roth, as was expected. However, he was passed out in his recliner, with a Jack Daniels bottle at his feet. Relieved, Angela exhaled the breath she didn't ever realize she was holding and without a second thought or glance, she raced out of the apartment and into the unknown…

* * *

><p>Within the first few weeks, Angela drifted through the slums of Gotham and burned through her meager funds. Although she was only spending her money on necessities, she really had no idea just how expensive life in Gotham was, and even more so in her current predicament. In time, she sought out job openings that would pay minimum wage, but no one really seemed too keen on hiring a high school drop-out with virtually no skills. And although desperate, Angela wasn't desperate enough to resort to petty thievery or solicitation. Therefore, she had no choice but to go with panhandling…<p>

Winter set in, and by late November the city was blanketed in frost and snow. For several nights now Angela had been seeking refuge in one of the local homeless shelters, and by day had been panhandling to try and make ends meet. Every once in a while, some kind-hearted person would spare what they could, but for the most part, everyone was in too much of a hurry to care about a homeless victim of abuse. _'So much for the holiday spirit,'_ though Angela, fighting back tears as she walked through the heart of town one blustery evening. _'Then again, I'd rather be cold and hungry than warm and full and beaten on a regular basis.'_

Overhead, the all too familiar sound of police helicopters droned by and searchlights danced across the streets in search of some lowlife.

_'However, living day to day from shelter to shelter and out on the streets isn't exactly an upgrade. I need to find a more permanent solution. I'd try anything before I even consider going back…'_

Angela continued her aimless walk through the catacomb-likes streets of Gotham until she stumbled upon a gothic-styled cathedral that she never recalled seeing before. It was a massive building too, one built of red brick and clay with huge multi-story stained glass windows and surrounded by a tall black wrought iron fence. On the sign that hung nearby, the faded words "Faith through Scath Christian Tabernacle" were painted in red.

"Scath?" asked Angela to no particular one and headed over to investigate. She climbed the concrete steps and knocked on the huge castle-like doors. After several knocks later with no response, Angela pressed all of her weight against the heavy door, which opened with a squeaky groan. Inside, the cathedral was dimly lit by the numerous candles set upon the candelabras and prayer racks, and its walls and windows were decorated with the traditional Christian religion icons. Surprisingly however, there was absolutely no one in attendance, not one person sitting in the pews or anyone attending to the upkeep of the cathedral. Angela found this quite strange, but as she slowly began to gain the feeling in the tips of her fingers and toes, she dismissed the thought and closed the door behind her. Heading deeper inside, Angela slowly walked down the aisle staring in wonder at the decorations and soaking in the ambience of the room. As a little girl, she could vaguely remember attending church with her parents. Those of course, were much better times. But as things at home grew worse, the visits grew less, until finally Angela stopped attending all together. To be perfectly honest, today was the first in almost four years since Angela last set foot inside of a church. As she neared a statue of Christ upon the cross, Angela humbly knelt before Him, bowed her head in respect, and began to pray:

"Our Lord and Heavenly Father, I, Angela Rosalina Roth, a lowly meek speck of dust, comes before you today, seeking your guidance and mercy. I know I've been neglectful of you and your word, and though I know you are much too kind of a god to punish me now for doing so, it in truth is only a sign of how much I really need you now. I can't go on living this way, day to day running the streets. And I certainly can't go back home, at least not with the way things were when I left it. Please, give me some sign that you haven't forgotten me. I would do anything you'd ask of me if it would help me find some peace on this earth…"

"That was truly touching…"

Angela gasped and turned towards the source of the voice. Standing behind her was a middle-age woman with long fiery red hair tied up into a neat ponytail wearing a long scarlet red tunic and robe. The most captivating thing about her though was her eyes, which were an unearthly violet. "I'm sorry if I've interrupted something," said Angela nervously, hastily trying to fix her hair and make herself look more presentable.

"Not at all, not at all," said the woman, slowly circling Angela and looking her up and down. She then smiled lightly. "If anything, it should be I to apologize. It's not everyday that someone attends our church and even more so when it's a youth. So, out of curiosity, I came forth to listen, and I became merely entranced by your heartfelt words."

"Uh, thank you?"

"Tell me dear. Things haven't been exactly going well for you as of late, have they?"

"You have no idea."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Perhaps. In time…"

"I understand." The woman then took Angela by the hand and began to lead her away. "Now then, come along."

"Wait a minute. Where are you taking me?" asked Angela nervously, pulling back.

"Upstairs to one of our bedchambers."

The woman noticed Angela's bewildered face and laughed softly. "You look tired and hungry, and it's entirely too cold for you to be outside. You will stay here with us until you can get back on your feet."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to inconvenience you or your…brethren, and you hardly even know me…"

"Nonsense. How could I call myself a Christian and turn someone clearly in distress away? Besides if the thought of charity bothers you so much, we could pay you to do little odd jobs here and there to help upkeep the building. It wouldn't be much of course but…"

"It would be fine, Miss…"

"Moriah. Sister Moriah. And you, little sister?"

"I'm Angela Roth."

"Angela. How positively _divine."_

Angela smiled and allowed Moriah to lead her through the nearby archway. Since it was much darker in the inner halls, Moriah picked up a miniature candelabrum and the two marched on. Along the way, Moriah and Angela passed other members of the order, each of them dressed in scarlet tunics, gowns and robes, and each with a very detached look upon their faces. Angela also noted that the more they walked on, the more the décor changed from being warm and inviting to dark and ominous. The change in the atmosphere was beginning to worry Angela, but with the occasional gentle smile from Moriah, she dismissed her paranoia.

_'I did ask for a sign,'_ she thought to herself as they rounded a corner. _'Perhaps He really is heeding my prayer. And maybe, just maybe, this shows that God must really love me…'_


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

"And this here is our humble little abode," voiced Moriah cheerfully. Angela looked around in wonder at her surroundings. The walls were made of a ruddy stone and their barren appearance gave off an ominous atmosphere despite the numerous wall and standing candelabras that brightened the corridors. The teenaged brunette then swallowed deeply.

"Are you okay, Angela?"

Angela looked up at the woman, a slight smile forming on her lips. "I'm fine, Sister Moriah. It's just that even for a monastery, this place seems…very…"

"Plain? Empty? Quiet?"

"Well I was going to say creepy, but yeah, that too."

Moriah simply chuckled. "I'll admit that at first glance, anyone from the outside world looking in may feel that things here at the Faith Through Scath Christian Tabernacle are rather strange and that this must be a drastic change from what you're accustomed to. But as for me and my other brothers and sisters, we _have come to appreciate that material things and appearances are not the foremost things in life. We rather store up treasures in Heaven than here on Earth, and as long as we have the basic necessities of life, our health, and our faith, then all is well..."_

_Angela nods and the two continued further down the hall._They eventually came to a stop at a door at the end of the hall and Moriah gestured towards it. "Well this is it," said Moriah, who opened the door. "Your dorm." Angela nodded and then entered. Inside laid two twin-sized beds, a wooden desk and chair and an armoire – all simple and modest in appearance. The room was also windowless and dimly lit – and had it not been for the candelabra seated on the desk, it would have rendered the room pitch black. Angela's eyes then fell on one of the beds since a faded pink bookbag laid at the foot of it.

"I have a roommate?"

"Indeed. About two, three weeks or so before you showed up here, another young girl with a troubled past came stumbling in through our doors. Some of my brothers and sisters were reluctant to have her stay, but…"

"You just couldn't turn your back on her…"

"Of course not! Granted she was rough …_very rough_ around the edges, and goodness knows what she's been through before she came here. But all of us are human, and none of us are perfect…"

"…Has this girl given you any reason to have regrets?"

Moriah looked over at Angela as she took a seat, her uncommonly violet eyes twinkling even in the dimly lit room. She opened her mouth to give a reply, but at that given moment the door creaked, and both Moriah and Angela's eyes _darted over towards the doorway. There, leaning along the doorway was a young woman with short brown hair and green eyes. Unlike Moriah, this woman wore a simplistic brown medieval style gown. She also looked none too thrilled to see the two sitting in what must have originally been 'her' room._

"Ah yes," cooed Moriah, rising from her seat. "Angela, this here is Janine. Janine, this is Angela. I met her today downstairs in the chapel. She's fallen on some hard times and needs a place to stay. Therefore, you two…are going to be roommates."

Janine carefully studied the brunette reclining on the bed across from her. "Pleasure," she replied cynically and entered the room. Moriah smiled once again and began to make her way towards the door. "Well, I'm just going to go see what I can get for you to wear and eat, and if you'd like, I can show you to the showers when I get back with your meal. Until then, just make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Angela said feebly as Moriah exited the room and pulled the door behind her. A soft but noticeable creak was briefly heard as the door closed, leaving the two young girls to exchange looks and to share in the awkward silence that soon followed.

"So…which one's your bed?" asked Angela timidly. Janine stared at her intensely then gestured at the bed closest to the door. Angela followed her gaze and then nodded before headed over to the bed farthest from her and setting her bag down on the floor. She hopped up onto the bed and then began rummaging through her backpack for something. Eventually Angela took out a notebook and pen and after a brief moment, began to write in it. Several minutes later,  
>Angela looked up from her journal and attempted to smile at Janine. In answer to Angela's smile, Janine's brow furrowed even deeper. Angela cleared her throat nervously and looked back down at her journal, her mind racing to collect and then act on some sane and tactful way to engage her roommate in a civil conversation. But nothing ever came to mind and the moment Angela couldn't bear the tension and silence any longer, her unlikely roommate spoke up…<p>

"So what did _you _do?"

Ah, the direct approach.

"Uh," stuttered Angela, not entirely sure what Janine was implying. "I ran away from home."

"Obviously. But _what _did you _do_? No one goes to stay in a monastery for the hell of it."

"I didn't _do_ anything wrong…" said Angela icily. "Unless you count being alive."

Janine pursed her lips at this and Angela returned the glare. She was definitely starting to think that perhaps rooming with the likes of Janine wasn't such a good idea. But before she could say anything else, Janine spoke up once more...

"You too, huh? …Parents can be such monsters…"

Angela looked up at Janine. "Monsters?"

"…Monsters," said Janine, her hardcore shell slightly giving in. She then cleared her throat and then glanced back up at Angela. "Your parents are supposed to be the people to always protect you, to have your back when things get rough. So why is it that they also screw us over…sometimes more so than the villains and sickos out there?"

Angela sighed. "When I get the answer to that one I'll let you know." Janine scoffed and then went to lie down on her bed on her back.

"True be told, I can't really blame _everything_on my parents. My dad -_if_ the dude was even really my dad - was hardly ever around, so it's not like he had much input on things."

"You're saying that things would've been different if he was around?"

"Who knows? I think that he was smart to leave my mom when he did. My mom had…addiction problems to say the least. Drugs, gambling, men, you name it, chances are she was involved in it. I mean, I know it's kind of Lifetimeish to say this, but at the same time, it would've been nice to have a mom who acted like a _mom,_ you know?"

Angela in response pursed her lips. "Back when I still lived at home," she started, pulling out a photo of her and her parents. "It was my dad who was the problem. My mom did everything she could to keep the peace, but eventually there wasn't anything she could do or say to get through to him. My dad drank a lot, and the drinking and the fights between him and Mom only got worse after he got laid off and when my little brother died shortly after he was born."

Janine looked on sadly as Angela became choked up. "Then one night," continued Angela, in all but a hoarse whisper. "…Things got really bad. Dad was beating Mom and during the fight, she fell and hit her head…and she didn't get up. She…just…wouldn't get up. I tried to help her, but my dad just pushed me away. He took my mother and then he left me alone in the apartment. He came back hours later…by himself…and covered in blood… He insisted that he took her to the hospital and that she was alright…but he also said that she wasn't going to come back home ever again. Made up some story about how Mom had met someone else, someone who she was happier with…"

"Yeah…Jesus."

Moments later, there was a knock at the door and Moriah entered with a plate of food and a small bundle tucked under her arm. "Here you go," she said, placing the plate down onto the desk and leaving the change of clothes in the seat of the chair. "A little something to tie you over until morning. It's also pretty close to curfew so I don't know if you want to run over and take your shower now or…"

"Uh, yeah, ok," replied Angela, setting down her journal and climbing off the bed. "Thanks, Moriah."

"No problem. Good night, little sisters. Until the morrow." Moriah then exited promptly, closing the door behind her, and Angela walked over to analyze the bundle of clothes. Folded up neatly was a long brown dress very similar to that which Janine wore, a long and simplistic nightgown, and an off-white bathrobe and towel set.

"You know the way to the showers?" asked Janine, rising to her feet and pulling down on her dress.

"I have an idea where it's at," said Angela who proceeded to scoop up the pile of clothes into her arms. She then started for the door.

"Hold on. I'll walk you."

Angela stopped and turned around to face her. "…Why?"

Janine shrugged indifferently. "What? You're a newbie. You could get lost. Besides, I kind of like you, kid, and we girls got to stick together. Stick with me, and you'll be right."


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

It was early morning the following day, and the two girls currently walked from their dorm room and down to the mess hall for breakfast.

"So what are some things that I should know about around here?"

Janine made no effort to hide the face that she made. "Hoo! Where do I even begin…?"

"What do you mean by that? Are they really strict or something?"

"Well, obviously, there are some things that just won't fly by in here, like breaking curfew. You don't have to go to sleep by 8 o'clock, but you definitely got to be back in your dorm by the time, ol' Crowman Xavier starts parading down the halls. Trust me when I say that is one guy whose bad side you _do not_ want to get on. You also must keep on your toes and be mindful of what you say and do around others. While this is a church, there are some folks in here that you need to watch out for. I've only been here for about three weeks but I've noticed that there's a bit of a pecking order going on here."

"Really?"

"Oh for sure. For instance, Sister Garnet had a husband who passed away a while ago. For several generations Garnet's husband's family has always in one way or another owned or helped maintain the church, so when he died, she and her son Sebastian moved in here full time to take care of things. Sebastian is now the abbot, uh the guy who leads the congregation here. I don't see him all that often - I guess because he's always away on important matters - but he seems… _ok_."

Angela looked at Janine, who had for but a moment turned melancholy at the mention of the abbot. The girls then entered the mess hall, and virtually everyone turned to stare at them. Janine ignored their gazes and went about getting her breakfast but Angela was clearly a little bothered by all of the sudden attention directed at her. After breaking eye contact with two pallid and creepy males that were obviously twins, Angela followed Janine over to the servings counter and as she waited for her turn, she took the opportunity to get a closer look at the other church members, who for the most part had resumed their conversations. One man that she spotted was rather old and frigid looking – like a vulture. He was tall and thin and had beady little brown eyes and he ate and chewed very meticulously. Seated next to the old man and at the head of the table was handsome man in his late forties with short blond hair that had just a touch of gray in it and deep blue eyes.

"Angela…"

Angela snapped out of her trance and turned around. Standing behind the counter was an older woman with graying hair and cloudy gray eyes. "It is Angela isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, miss," replied Angela meekly and then nodded. "It's good to finally meet you," said the older woman. "I'm Sister Garnet." She then gestured towards the bowl to which she had spooned out some hominy grits. "Is this enough?"

"Uh, yes. Thanks." Angela then scooped up her serving tray and briskly made her way over to the table at the far end of the room. It was the least populated one, and aside from Janine, only one other person sat there, a skinny young woman with long straggly black hair. "Hi," said Angela with a smile.

The young woman looked up from her plate and met Angela's eyes with a pair of blue-green ones. "Hello," she replied quietly. She had a rather heavy East-European accent and a slight rasp to her voice. "I…uh…don't believe we met," said Angela who took a seat between her and Janine. "I'm Angela, and I room with Janine here."

"…Theresa Zimmer," replied the woman, blowing onto a spoonful of her breakfast. "Pleasure to meet you." Angela nodded and turned to Janine, who wriggled her nose, and the three continued on with the rest of their breakfast in silence. After a while, Angela returned her attention back to Theresa.

_"_Is it always like this at mealtime?" she asked in a hushed voice. Theresa meanwhile looked up at her nonchalantly.

"Mealtime, study time, work time, bedtime: all's the same. Nobody likes us and they keep far away. "

"But why is that? It just doesn't make any sense."

Theresa looked up again to notice the sad look on Angela's face. "Well sometimes life just don't make sense, Fraulein. Look at me. My family leave Zandia because of many troubles there. We come to America and after much searching, we finally find place to belong, and just when things look good - kapow! Mother learns she has illness and Father dies from heart attack. Mother follows him less than year later. "

"…Wow…I'm sorry to hear that."

"So were the brothers and sisters here. We became members of this church sometime after coming to the States. But it's been seven years that my parents die, and the brothers and sisters..."

Theresa sighed and Angela glanced out of the corner of her eye. She could just make out the displeased faces of two young women – one brunette and one blonde - who sniggered and whispered to one another. Angela then returned her gaze to Theresa.

"They say that I should not dwell on the past. But I have hard time letting it go, especially when the brothers and sisters are no longer as nice as they have been. Life may move on and life may not be fair, but as I say, sometimes life just don't make sense. Do you not agree?"

Angela sighed deeply and then tapped Janine inconspicuously to get her attention.

"What is the deal with the two girls that keep looking over here at us?"

Janine glanced over casually and upon turning back to Angela and Theresa, sucked her teeth in displeasure. "Now _those_ are two people that you're really have to watch your back around," murmured Janine. "The brunette's May and that's her flunky Helena. Right from the get go, those two have had it out for me and to some extent Teri here too. Thanks to them, we -although most of the time I'm the one who's singled out – have had cold water thrown on us some mornings as a wakeup call, gotten stuck with some of the most menial jobs and whenever there's a dispute, by default no one bothers to see whenever we're actually the ones at fault. It's like whatever May and Helena says, it just has to be true."

Angela glanced over at Theresa who nodded sadly. Janine then leaned in so that only Angela could hear her. "I know that I'm not the friendliest of people, Angela, but I don't go looking for trouble either. I've had more than enough of my share of it outside of these walls. If you're the same way as me and Teri, do like us and just keep to yourself."

* * *

><p>The next few days came and went, and Angela sat in solitude in her bedroom in deep thought. For the first time in years, the young woman felt a sense of achievement and acceptance. Whether it was by assisting with the cleaning, the cooking, the sewing or her all-time favorite, helping out in the library, it simply felt nice to finally belong somewhere and to know that not even the littlest things that she did didn't not go ignored or unappreciated. It was quite the change from her classmates' indifference, her father's harsh words and his even more ruthless beatings. However, what Angela enjoyed the most was her new found friendship with Janine and Theresa and getting to know the girls better. Theresa for instance, was the oldest out of all of them, but she was very polite and reserved, perhaps more so than Angela even. Janine however, was the complete opposite, which made for some rather interesting conversations and moments in Angela's brief stay…<p>

"Hey, Angie! Quit your daydreaming and come join us."

Angela, who had unknowingly been staring up at the ceiling, awoke from her trance and turned to face Janine. She had just allowed Theresa into their room and was locking the door. Theresa smiled and took a seat at the foot of Janine's bed while Janine dragged the chair from the desk closer to the beds.

"What are you two up to?" asked Angela, slipping her journal underneath her pillow.

"I convinced Theresa to play a game of truth or dare with me," grinned Janine as she turned the chair and sat in it backwards. "Come join us."

"Oh god, Jan. Are you kidding me?"

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what'? I _hate _Truth or Dare. Back in school, I was always the brunt of pranks, and a lot of them stemmed from dares other students had to perform because they were 'dared' to do it. Besides, it's a silly game. It's childish, it's mischievous, it's…"

"It's either this or heading back out into the main area for another rousing bout of '20 questions' with the others."

Angela blinked. While it was nice that the other brothers and sisters of the church had taken a sudden interest in her as of late, it was a bit overwhelming for Angela, who was reserved by nature, and to some degree found it even embarrassing and intrusive when hit with prodding questions. That was the very reason why she retreated to her room in the first place.

"…I'll take 'Truth or Dare' for $200, Alex."

Theresa giggled while Janine rolled her eyes. "Ok, smart aleck, just for that, I'm picking you first. Truth…or dare."

"Does it really matter? I've gotten nothing to hide and if I picked 'dare, how much trouble could we possibly get into in a place like this?"

"Leave that up to me to worry about. Now pick!"

"Alright, alright. Dare, Jan."

Janine smiled wickedly and then picked up a jar which contained some sort of mysterious liquid. "Fine then," she cackled. "Drink this."

"What on earth _is_ that?" questioned Angela.

"Relax, it's nothing poisonous."

"That doesn't ease my mind in the slightest."

"Come on, Angie. I dared you, so you have to do it."

Angela grumbled. It was a no-win situation for her but given the choice between listening to Janine's mouth or downing the 'beverage' in her hand and thus silencing her roommate, the lesser of the two evils became clear. Angela snatched the jar from and steadily gulped down its contents. Theresa's eyes widened and Janine guffawed as Angela slammed the now empty jar down and coughed.

"I can't believe you actually drank it," said Theresa in disbelief. "Well I did," shuddered Angela. "Now what on God's earth was it?"

"…Pickle brine, ground garlic and lemon juice," snorted Janine. Angela just glared at her.

"…I hate you so much."

Theresa chuckled softly while Janine erupted into a fit of laughing. "OK, OK," said Theresa, taking out a coin. "This will decide who goes next. Janine, call a side."

Theresa flipped the coin and Janine's laughter began to subside. "H-heads," she stuttered, gasping for air. Theresa caught the coin and studied it briefly. "Guess it is my turn," she replied and Angela re-positioned herself on the bed.

"Alright then, Teri. Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"Hmm…Tell us what was the best day of your life."

Theresa pondered this for a moment and then smiled. "Believe it or not, it was the day we came to the church. You see we had just come to America and the person who had been speaking to my parents and paid our way over from Zandia never showed up. We had no idea what happened to him or how to find him. We spend many days and nights out in the streets, and because we did not know the language, it was hard finding someone that could help us."

Theresa then turned to Angela. "Then we met Moriah. Moriah once lived in Europe and knew enough of our language to understand us. She was kind enough to take us in, and the brothers and sisters treated us as if we were one of them."

Theresa's smile faltered as her thoughts evidently shifted back to the present and Angela placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Janine then perked up, knowing that it was now her turn. "Alright then," she mused. "Let's go. Do your worst! I dare you."

"Like what?" inquired Theresa as Angela thought of suggestions. "I don't know," shrugged Janine. "Snorting a line of sugar, licking the floor, making me smear PB&J on my armpits, wipe it off with bread and then eat it as a sandwich. Come on! Something extreme!"

Angela and Theresa just looked at her. "You have some serious issues," replied Angela. "I'm still on the "snorting a line of sugar" part," said a somewhat bemused Theresa.

"Ha, well a sugar high is better than getting high off of coke or meth."

"You did drugs?"

"Yeah, when I was younger. Remember now, the type of home I grew up in wasn't exactly child-friendly, though that was still no excuse. Between being around my mom and her 'men' and hanging out late at night with my friends when I couldn't stand being in that apartment anymore, I got introduced to the stuff. I wanted to drown out all the pain I was always feeling, but I was only bringing more upon myself."

"Jesus, Jan," replied Angela. "Do you have any other surprises up your sleeves?"

"One," she said softly. "…I'm also a mom."

The room became so quiet that you've could've heard the proverbial pin drop. "…What?" asked a perplexed Theresa.

"I'm a mom," repeated Janine. "And today is actually my daughter's first birthday."

"…And…"said Angela slowly, fishing for the right words. "…Did she…pass away?"

"No. I gave her up for adoption and even though in my mind I knew it was the right thing to do, my heart always feels guilty for basically giving her away to strangers."

Angela and Theresa looked on sadly as Janine sighed deeply once more. "You see I've always told myself that if I was ever to have kids that I would do all I could to take care of them. I didn't want them growing up living in fear, growing up feeling like their mother really didn't care about them. I would be damned if I let history repeat itself you know? That's why when I found out that I was pregnant, I started making plans. I always kept money stashed away all over the apartment – it was the only way to keep it from my mom and her numerous 'boyfriends', and on one night, I gathered up the money and snuck out of the apartment, but unlike all the other times that I did, this time I had no intentions of never coming back. I ran all the way to my boyfriend's place in hopes that I could come to live with him."

"And I'm guessing that didn't pan out?" asked Angela.

"That would be the understatement of the century. It completely blew up in my face. Shymal betrayed me in the cruelest way ever imaginable. He wanted nothing to do with me or the baby! Shymal…he was the only person that I could open up to back then. When things were dangerous at home, I always snuck out to hang out with him and his friends. The hundreds of times I considered ending it all, he kept me from following it through. I was very fearful and insecure around guys, but, he made me feel normal…he made me feel beautiful and wanted, and yet despite all of that, he turned on me. I stood outside in the pouring rain for what felt like hours, pleading and reasoning for him to not throw what we had away, but it was useless. I found myself back at square one and what was worse, I was starting to show. I had no choice but to go back home and tell my mother about my condition. The next six months was like riding a roller-coaster. Getting myself clean and going through so many changes from the pregnancy was rough, but now I had to deal with my mom as well. Sometimes she was just so indifferent, it was almost like nothing had changed. Then there were times when I would practically get my ear chewed off: constantly being cursed at and called a slut and a whore for getting myself into this situation. The thing that bothered me the most however was the few instances when my mom was happy about being a grandmother."

"How can that be?" asked Theresa. "Wouldn't that mean that she was more accepting to the situation and to you?"

"Only for the sake of money. Think about it. My mother didn't exactly make an honest living, and money was always tight at home for obvious reasons. But as a single mom, she also got assistance from the government, so with another baby soon to live under her roof…"

"I think I understand now."

"Exactly, and that trick was _not _going to profit off of my daughter. Not on my watch. So while I still lived at home, I was secretly trying to look for another apartment for us to live in. But of course I had no such luck. Finding housing in Steel City was an absolute nightmare and like I said before, I refused to have my baby live under the same roof as that woman. The only other option though was the streets and that was certainly no place for a child. I was at a loss on what to do. Adoption at this point was only a backup plan, but now, it was looking more like my _only _plan. Then, it was time. I went into the hospital late one night and early the next morning, my little Gwen was born. A few hours later, the representatives from the local orphanage came to pick her up and that was the last I'd seen of her. Some think that I was coward for giving her away, but I _loved _that little girl. I loved her so much that I didn't want her to end up like I did. I wanted her to be safe, to have the chance to have parents that could offer her everything I couldn't…"

Janine grew silent once again and in an effort to keep from crying, she hugged her legs, buried her face into her thighs and began to rock back and forth in the chair. Angela and Theresa slowly approached the distraught young woman and Angela reached out towards her.

"It's OK, Janine. Me and Teri both know what it's like to be forced into growing up well before being good and ready, to be forced into making decisions or witnessing things that no teen should ever have to. We may not be blood, but in a way we're still family, and we're here for you. After all, we girls got to stick together…"


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

They say that life can be ugly, but clearly not as ugly as it appeared through the eyes of Janine. A little after she had herself a good cry, she opened up a little bit more about her past and in turn so did Theresa and Angela. It must have been so…therapeutic and liberating to talk about the things that they had kept buried within for so long. It can't be healthy to keep things bottled constantly up, to keep secrets in the dark. Unfortunately for the three friends there were others who eagerly sought to work under the cover of secrecy. Elsewhere within the bowels of the church, several brothers and sisters were having a clandestine meeting with some seriously evil intentions…

"And what news do you have for me this evening?"

Standing before the thin vulture-like looking man in a dark chamber were the two twins Angela had seen several days earlier in the mess hall. Their heads had been bowed and they simultaneously lifted them upon being prompted to speak.

"The preparations for our Master's homecoming are going as planned, Brother Xavier," started the first twin. "All…"

"…is well," finished his brother. "We were even able to find a most suitable consort for our Lord."

The news was enough to pull Xavier's nose from the dusty tome he had been studying fervently. "And who – dare I ask – is the 'lucky' woman?" he inquired.

"It is the girl we most recently took in, Brother Xavier…"

"…Angela Roth."

"Ah, yes. Ms. Roth. She does seem to be a breath of fresh air here amongst us. Very warm and congenial – which is surprising since I can sense that before she had a rather difficult life to live before coming to stay here with us. She would be perfect for our Master."

"There is however, a cause for concern, my brother."

"Angela both rooms and spends a considerable amount of time with…"

"…Janine Diaz," sighed Xavier. "Yes, I've noticed that, and I must say that it won't bode well for us if Angela continues to befriend her. Janine speaks very plainly what's on her mind and she refuses to conform to our ways despite our welcoming her into our home. You see now how Sister Theresa clings to her. It would only be a matter of time before others here and especially Angela follow suit. However, it would also do us more harm than good if we were to simply get rid of Janine. Not only would her sudden…'eviction' prompt suspicion and possibly even flight from Angela, but we chance the risk of the outside world learning of our secret dealings…and that will simply not do. Therefore we must sever the ties between the two of them post haste, and I'm counting on _you_ to make it so…"

The twins step aside as the fourth person in the room – who had been clinging to the shadows – stepped forth. She was a beautiful woman and she seemed pleasant enough really. Her long red hair was caught up into a ponytail and she had quite unusual colored eyes: violet to be exact…

"I will do everything in my power to ensure nothing ruins our Lord's homecoming, Brother Xavier," replied Moriah.

"Good. Now here is what I want you to do…"

Xavier fanned off the twins who bowed and promptly exited the room, leaving Xavier and Moriah to weave their dastardly plan in peace. "Now then," started Xavier. "This is what I think is the best way to separate Angela from Janine. The though crossed my mind to simply spread lies and propaganda but that wouldn't be enough. Angela, although having experienced how cruel and dishonest life can be, still tends to give people the benefit of the doubt. We therefore would have to make it appear that it is Janine herself who is not to be trusted, so much so that not even Angela would want to be friends with her."

"And your suggestion?"

"Twist the facts of any common knowledge about Janine's past... common knowledge which I received when I did her confession."

Moriah smiled wickedly.

* * *

><p>The next day, Angela sat in on of the numerous pews in the church's downstairs chapel heavy in thought. The seventeen-year old often sought solitude to dwell on things, but it seemed that as of late she did so very often. She also had a tendency to retreat to the most unpopulated areas to meditate, so it didn't take long for Moriah to hunt her down. Moriah studied the young girl from afar and high up in one of the upper balconies of the cathedral, and when she felt that she was ready to strike, she disappeared and reappeared out of thin air several feet away from behind Angela.<p>

"Little sister?" the dubious woman called. _"Hey, Moriah," smiled Angela._

"Is everything ok?" asked Moriah, taking a seat. "You seem a bit blue."

_"__Just been thinking about a lot of things that has happened recently, and about what lies ahead. Been also thinking a lot about Janine and Theresa."_

"I see…I've noticed that the three of you have been getting close lately."

_"Well, of course. We all had to sort of grow up well before we were ready to, and we all like and can relate to the same kind of things."_

"Yes. It is always nice to have someone close to you in age that you can become acquainted with. However, I think it only fair to warn you that you three should _only_ be acquaintances, and nothing more."

_Angela raised an eyebrow at this. "…Are you saying that I'm not to trust Janine or Theresa?"_

"I'm only saying that I have your best interests at heart. I'm not all that worried about Theresa – she's always been a sweet and well-meaning girl. But Janine? I know that I said that I was trying to do the right thing, the Christian thing when I granted Janine shelter a few weeks back, and while I've personally never had any problems with her, she _has_ been at odds with quite a number of the other brothers and sisters."

_"…But she has told me…"_

"…About how she is always being accused and punished for things while the "guilty party" runs free? About how she always get the less desirable jobs around the church while others get the easier jobs or don't do anything at all? And let me guess, she's even told you about how someone used to douse her with cold water in order to wake her up some mornings?"

Angela lowered her eyes, the doubt slowly seeping into her. "I knew what it was that you were going to say," continued Moriah "Because I've heard it all before. It has also been brought to the congregation's attention about some of the things Janine was involved in before her coming to stay with us. Now normally, I don't allow someone's past to influence my dealings with them – I'm a firm believer in second chances. However…"

_"What kind of things are we talking about here?"_

Moriah turned to look away as if she is embarrassed to say anything more, but she sensed the anxiety radiating from Angela, smiled very briefly to herself and then turned back to face the young girl.

"It seems that Janine engaged in drug use and larceny when she was out on the streets, and the reason for her being out on the streets was because she became pregnant. The truth about her condition came to light after she was caught cheating on her boyfriend and this was only revealed during a rather heated discussion with her boyfriend who sadly was under the impression that _he_ was the father. Then after she gave birth to her daughter, she immediately gave it up for adoption, and only when it was discovered that the child was deformed."

Angela looked absolutely hurt and sickened from the news. Moriah smiled to herself once again and decided to press on. "The look on your face tells me that Janine wasn't exactly forthcoming on these events…"

"I knew about the pregnancy…"stuttered Angela. "And I knew a little about the drugs. But stealing, sleeping around and the…truth about why she gave up Gwen?"

"That is what worries me, Angela, because if she was dodgy about something like this, what would happen if something serious came about? This is why you must take care as to how close you get to her and on how much of what she says and does you should believe in. The brothers and sisters here are trying their best to keep her on the straight and narrow – hence the few cases in which she's had a few more tasks to do around the church, or the restrictions that were placed on her. No one likes to be reprimanded, Angela, and truthfully, no one likes to do the reprimanding, but to do so is in the long run for the good of all those involved."

Moriah placed a hand on Angela's shoulder. "I must say though that once again, I'm rather impressed by your demeanor, little sister. Here it is that you've known someone for so short a timeframe, and yet you were so quick to put all your faith in her, so quick to overlook something in her that would've normally keep many others from even approaching her."

_"Yeah, though I don't know any more if that's a good thing or bad. You see… before coming to stay here, I lived with my father, who was always a very…hot tempered person. For seven years I was constantly beaten, cursed out, and told I was stupid or that I was nothing or an accident – and every time it happened, I kept telling myself that I actually deserved what was happening to me, or that I have to still respect my dad and hold onto the hope that maybe things would get better…But then, as I got older, I started to think about my mother, and how she too used to try to reason for my dad…and how she ended up paying for it with her life. That is why I ran away. This is why I'm here now, and despite all what he put me through, no matter how much I sometimes wished that man would…would…"_

"… despite being the monster that he was, a small part of you still wants to love him…simply because he _is_your father."

Angela nodded glumly, her blue eyes brimming with tears. "You really are something else, Angela," consoled Moriah. "Really. With your kind spirit and loving heart, you would make someone a good wife and maybe even a good mother someday."

_"I don't think there's anyone out there for me…"_

"Oh I don't know about that. You'd be quite surprised at who you may find."

_"Oh?"_

"Yes. That's actually the reason I came down to talk with you. It's almost the end of the year, little sister, and as you already know, in many of the world's religions, there are several days around this time that are considered holier than others. This is no exception here at the Faith Through Scath Christian Tabernacle and in exactly two weeks time, the day most revered by our congregation will be upon us, and several of us were hoping that you would consider joining the ceremony."

"…Me?"

"Yes. I'm sure that by now you're aware of some of our beliefs, beliefs that may seem contradictory to what you were brought up to believe in, and the most primary of them being that our true happiness and salvation can only be brought through a being of infinite power – a deity named Scath."

"Yes. I've heard of the name the other day when I sat in to hear one of the discourses amongst the sisters here."

"So you know of how Scath was once considered a son of God, and how he was banished from both Heaven and Earth? About how he had longed to be able to experience true love and to have a family of his own, and paid the ultimate price for forsaking his place? It's so amazing, Angela, because even when he was plunged into a ghastly limbo-like state, Scath still reached out to mankind, and although history and religious texts have tried to blot him out of existence, several texts have survived the test of time, and they reveal some of the many good things Scath has done who those who followed him, of the many good things he promised his worshippers then and those of our time. We here want to show our Lord Scath our gratitude for all he aspires to do, by granting him the thing he wants most, and this is why we need your help. We have found the means to bring Scath back to our realm, but it can only come about through the assistance and the consent of a young woman, a young woman who is without a doubt clean, wholesome and untouched. This young woman would in turn have to consent to becoming Lord Scath's wife, and frankly, it would be such an honor to have a young lady with your fine qualities join us in this most revered of all celebrations and to take the sacred right hand side of Lord Scath."

Angela was rendered speechless for a moment. She then laughed softly and smiled brightly. "Wow. I'm….I'm really flattered that the others even want me to… Just…wow…"

"Well it's the truth. Don't forget that when we first met, there was something about you that got my attention. You had been through so much, and it would've been so easy for you to be bitter and hateful towards others. But yet…you somehow retained… a sense of hope, a sense of goodwill towards your fellow man. Such a person is always welcomed among us, and we've been waiting for someone like you for a long time."

"Well again like I said, I'm really flattered, Moriah, but it's something I have to think about, because there's also a lot in what you are asking of me."

"Of course, of course. Dwell on it, sleep on it, and be sure to let me know whatever you decide upon."

Angela nodded as Moriah patted her on the shoulder. Moriah then rose from _her seat and left Angela to dwell on what she had been told. She continued out of the chapel and was ascending up the stairs to the living quarters when she was stopped by Xavier._

"Well…?"

"She hasn't agreed to anything…yet. But do not fear. The seeds of doubt that you've…supplied me with have been planted and are quickly taking root. It won't be long until we have her on our side."


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Having been brought up a Catholic, Moriah's proposal had really caught Angela off guard. Interestingly enough, her proposal also aroused her interest. After having to endure all of the physical and emotional abuse from my father one could say that it had began to test Angela's faith in God. Then after spending the several weeks out on the streets of Gotham, her faith in God steadily weakened. After all, hadn't the lack of intervention or even protection from such horrible acts and ordeals proved that he did not care about her or anyone for that matter? _'Why not abandon him like he abandoned me?'_ thought Angela. _'Why not seek out what Scath had to offer me?'_

An hour or so after speaking with Moriah, Angela was making her way through the numerous hallways of the upper part of the church. Moriah's words from earlier were still fresh in her mind, and it wasn't simply the proposal she put out in front of her that was weighing her down…

"…_The truth about her condition came to light after she was caught cheating on her boyfriend and this was only revealed during a rather heated discussion with her boyfriend who sadly was under the impression that he was the father…"_

Angela pursed her lips. While she was only a child when it had occurred, she could vividly remember her mother's tears and rages whenever it was discovered that her father had once again been unfaithful to her. The man had numerous shortcomings – this much was certain and not even she could deny it – but the one thing that Angela's mother could not and would not in any way condone was how her husband often sought the company and the comfort of other women. So how could Janine do it to her 'beloved' Shymal, the man who allegedly was the only source of light to Janine's dark, lonesome life?

"…_Then after she gave birth to her daughter, she immediately gave it up for adoption, and only when it was discovered that the child was deformed..."_

Angela's brow furrowed deeply. She could recall the day when the doctors diagnosed that her baby brother Connor had galactosemia and that his condition was discovered too little too late and he died days after his birth. Had the rare and deadly illness been found sooner, Connor would most likely be alive today but not without having to live off a specialized diet and cope with possible learning disabilities, speech and even neurological impairments. Despite this, Angela remembered how her mother passionately proclaimed that it didn't matter if Connor was sickly or not, or whether he was handsome, plain or downright grotesque. He was _her _child, and had he lived, nothing would ever sway her from loving him as much as she loved Angela. Nothing could persuade her to do anything but provide the best for him. But Janine's daughter was 'deformed'. Whether it was simply in appearance or due to an underlying medical condition could not be determined, but it seemed more so that Janine rather than out of concern for her child's well-being gave her up simply because she wasn't 'normal'. This of course infuriated Angela, who was so sympathetic to Janine's numerous plights. Now she was left wondering just how many of those plights she actually brought upon herself…

"If I find either one of you two with Sebastian again, I will personally slit your throats!"

Angela stopped in her tracks at the sound of the threat. It almost sounded like Sister May from within the infirmary just a few yards away from her. But who was she screaming at? Ever the curious one, Angela cautiously crept up to the door…

_"_Honey, if you want him that badly, you can have him," snapped the all too familiar voice of Janine, which made Angela freeze again. "As a matter of fact, do us all a favor and just tell that slimeball to keep his grubby little hands away from us!"

"Believe you me, if I had my way, you and Theresa would've been out of here _ages_ ago. But because you're also buddy-buddy with Angela, I'll have to tolerate you…for the moment."

Angela pondered at the meaning of her last statement, but just then, the door opened and the brunette and blonde who Angela had seen glancing at her from across the mess hall back when she first came to the church exited. Angela jumped back in surprise, and the women looked just as surprised to see her standing there.

_"_Oh_…__Angie__," _greeted the brunette with a fake air of kindness. "Hi! What are you.."

"I'd just come from outside actually, Sister May," fibbed Angela. "It's actually rather nice out for early December. However I, uh…needed to see the girls about…something."

"I see," replied May sourly. She then quickly perked up and smiled. "Well then, I'll leave you to it. _Au revior_!" And with that, May and Helena speedily headed down the hall while Angela peeked into the infirmary. Janine was leaning up against the far wall while Theresa was holding a washcloth up to her nose with one hand and pinching the bridge of her nose with the other.

_"_…Theresa?" asked a dumbfounded Angela. She hurriedly closed the door behind her and raced over to Theresa.

"…It was May," answered a nasal Theresa. "She was out for blood. I don't know what would've happen if Janine or Helena hadn't stepped in…"

_"_Well what did you say that got her so upset?"

At this, Theresa looked up at Angela and Janine turns to her in disbelief. _"_…_Excuse_ me?"

Realizing that she was now treading dangerous waters, Angela quickly tried to minimize the fallout. _"_Well I only meant…" she stuttered.

_"_Why would you assume that Theresa just _had_ to have done or said something wrong to provoke May?"

Angela sighed exasperatedly and upon this, Janine scoffed and then laughed. _"_I see. I do not believe this. I…just cannot believe this!"

"Well what did you expect, Janine? You haven't exactly been the most truthful of people, and you can't say that you've been a good influence on others either. I'm not condoning May's reaction, but perhaps Theresa said the wrong thing to her and nearly got her nose broken off because of it."

"What..the..hell?! You busy sticking your own nose into something that you know nothing about!"

"I know plenty."

"From who? The "brothers and sisters"? Do you honestly think that the others here actually have your best interests in mind? I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to cross paths with these lunatics. Xavier is a meddlesome and sadistic old bastard, and Sebastian is a disgusting octopus who tries to have his ways with all of the girls here. And Moriah? She…"

"STOP! Just stop, Janine! …I…I…don't believe you..."

Janine stopped in mid-sentence, the anger just radiating from the two girls facing off. Theresa warily looked on as Angela chose this time to close the distance between her and Janine, her eyes cutting into her_. _"I don't believe you, Janine," she repeated. "Why should I believe anything you ever said to me – especially when you couldn't even tell me about why you ended up here in the first place? About what really happened back in Steel City? Answer me that."

It was Janine's turn to exchange a glare. "You of all people should know damn well that some things of the past should just be left in the pa_s_t, be it because of regretor because of all the pain they have caused. But note this…Angela…_I have __never_ lied or had any reason to lie to you about anything!"

"Is that so…'_Mother, Dearest'?_ After all, I'd be embarrassed too if I didn't want to reveal about how I got knocked up by someone other than my boyfriend and then put the child up for adoption just because she came into this world just a little bit different than the rest of us."

Janine exploded. _"_The only person that I confided to about what had happened to me back home would've been the person who heard my confession, and the mere fact that he revealed confidential information and then _twisted _the facts of said information should tell you something about these people, Angela, these _people_ that you're willing to trust your life with! But you know what? Fine. Be as two-faced and insensitive and vicious as these bastards. I'm not staying in this, this 'holy place' any longer…!"

Janine stormed by a somewhat flabbergasted Angela, and Theresa slowly rose from her seat to leave as well. She then stopped by Angela, opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but simply shook her head and left.


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

For the next two weeks, Angela was in a whirlwind of emotions. As she promised, Janine was gone by the time Angela returned to the dorm later that night, though she found it ironic that she didn't tell Theresa, her so-called friend that she was leaving. In any case, Angela really didn't have much time to dwell on Janine. Shortly after their little blowout and Janine's exodus, Angela approached Moriah and the others to inform them that she would help with Scath's homecoming ceremony. There were many a day when she was devoting her time towards the ceremony: costume fitting, making the decorations, practicing the songs and dances for the ceremony. In fact, Angela found herself so busy that she seldom hung out with even Theresa anymore – though part of it was due to the argument she had with Janine. Then before you could blink, it was the night before the homecoming ceremony…

"So, you must be excited, Angela," beamed Ophelia, one of the sisters of the Church. "The big day is tomorrow night …"

"Yeah," smiled Angela as she and Ophelia finished the last of the dishes since it was their week to help out in the mess hall. "Excited and nervous. This is a life-changing event, Ophelia, and I'm a bit worried that I'm not cut out for this or that I'll mess something up."

"You shouldn't feel that way. Moriah is a good judge of character, and everyone agrees that you alone are the epitome of the perfect bride and the most deserving of our Lord. Rest assured that everything will work out in the end. You see how you were ridded of that unsavory girl for a roommate."

"Yeah, though I am surprised that Janine just left in the middle of the night without saying to word to anyone, not even to Theresa."

"Eh, go figure. Besides to be honest, I think that we're all better off without her around. Listen, it's getting close to curfew. We can finish up in here tomorrow. You have a good one, Angie."

"Ok, Ophelia. You too."

The two young women exited the mess hall and part ways to their respective dorms. Angela continued along the familiar path to her room and was in a pretty decent mood, so much so that she even hummed to she neared one passageway, Angela could just make out the muffled sounds of a man and woman giggling and when she cautiously peeked down it, she was completely floored by what she saw next. There they were without the slightest care in the world, Sister May and Brother Sebastian in _very_ close proximity of each other. Before she could fully process what was happening, a hand came out to rest on Angela's shoulder, causing the girl to nearly jump out of her skin and cry out. Angela was suddenly jerked away from the scene and as she looked up, she could see that it was Theresa who had startled her and was now dragging her away. The older girl gestured for Angela to stay silent and the two walked some distance away to ensure that they are out of earshot.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you," said Theresa in a hushed voice. "But better it was me than someone else that found you spying on them."

Angela was stunned. "You _knew _about this?"

"Angie, _everyone _knows about them. They are lovers."

"But a woman of the cloth and her abbot? As if there isn't enough scandal amongst world religion…" The gears suddenly began to turn in Angela's head.

"Wait a minute…is that why May was so….do you mean then that what Janine said back then about …?"

Angela's voice had trailed off but Theresa confirmed her suspicions by nodding and Angela's eyes widen.

"Oh my god…"

"This is why May disliked me and Janine so much. Had Brother Sebastian shown you interest, you would've earned her hate too."

"I'm so sorry I implied that you guys were throwing yourselves onto Sebastian…"

"There are a lot of things you should be sorry for," replied Theresa in a somewhat cold tone. "And there are more things that you should be cautious for. I can't put my finger on it, but I think you are in danger, Angela."

"Danger?"

"Yes. You see how the others try to conceal Brother Sebastian and May? They knew that if you saw the two of them that you would know something was wrong. I think there are other bad things happening here too. For instance, one day I was in the library. I was near the back so no one knew I was there. I then watched in silence as Moriah and Ophelia rushed in and began to rip pages and parts clear out of books, the books in regards to prophecy and ancient rituals…"

"But those are the books that _I'm _responsible for…"

"I know. Clearly, there is something in those books that they don't want you finding out about by mistake."

"You don't think it has anything to do with the upcoming ceremony," asked an uneasy Angela. "…Do you?"

Theresa sighed. "It might, and this ceremony that they've been talking about so much also concerns me. You see in all the years I've been here, I can remember just one time that they celebrated it and there was a young girl that I was friends with then. Her name was Marcy and she was about the same age then as you are now. I was only a little girl, so I could not attend, but I do remember that she got the same kind of attention you are getting. The day after the ceremony, I went looking for Marcy so that I can learn about what had happened, but the brothers and sisters told me that Marcy was no longer our sister and had left the church. She was deemed 'not a worthy vessel', but I always felt there was more to the story…"

Angela stood processing everything Theresa had told her. The more she thought about things, the more alarmed she became. It did seem a bit strange now how the others fawned over this supposed homecoming ceremony, and come to think of it, it was also pretty strange how much of the ceremony's details were kept hidden from Angela despite her being a so-called crucial participant. What was the ceremony's true purpose and why did they feel the need to hide things from her?

"Come on," coaxed Angela, taking Theresa by the arm. "We got to look into this."

"Wait, what?"

"The library. There has to be something that the others missed when they ransacked the library. Something that can explain what's really going on here."

"But it's so close to curfew…"

"Well this can't wait, Teri. Besides you can stand guard outside while I look around."

"And if Xavier or Landon and Logan stop me?"

"I don't know. Tell them that you saw me come in and were waiting for me to come out. Pretend that you weren't aware of the time. If it comes to it, stall as long as you can so that I can find something!"

The two stopped in front of the library and Theresa nodded. Angela gave her a thumbs-up and after insuring that no one was in the library, crept inside. Angela then raced throughout the library to make doubly sure that no one was around and without a moment to lose, she headed towards the library section that held all of the books of prophecy and ancient rituals. She then began her frantic search, rapidly but cautiously combing through the numerous books in front of her to see if somehow by the grace of God that Moriah and Ophelia were not successful in destroying all traces about the truth behind the homecoming ceremony. Surprisingly and only several minutes afterwards, Angela does stumble upon an interesting passage…

_"On the eve of Bruma, the blockade is at its weakest. The time will have come to open the gateway and for Scath to make claim to what is rightfully His?"_

Angela marked the page and headed over to the reference section of the library. Grabbing one of the dictionaries, she speedily searched for the word 'Bruma' and discovered that it was actually the Latin name for the winter solstice. This struck a nerve with Angela who surveyed the calendar that hung on the opposite wall.

"The winter solstice is tomorrow night…the same as the Homecoming Ceremony…"

Angela then hurried back to the book where she had marked and searched its index for any other references to Bruma. And what she found rattled her to her very core…

"_There are numerous times throughout the seasons where loyal and devout followers may pay tribute to the Lords of the Darkness, but for those who worship Scath, one of the Princes of the First Hierarchy, certain dates take more precedence than others. For instance during the season of rebirth, there is Beltane Eve and Beltane, days on which…carnal relations of all sorts are favored upon as they promote fertility for fellow worshippers of Scath. In the summer, there is the Grand Climax and the days that lead up to it where humans are…abducted…and then dismembered and or sacrificed to quench the wrathful thirst of Scath. In the autumn, the season of Lord Scath's birth, there are many other sacrifices and dismemberments, all which are culminated by the events of All Hallow's Eve and Halloween. However…the most important of all these days is the night of Bruma, the Longest Night, and the time believed in which the ancient forces of light used to banish Lord Scath from his rightful realm are weakened significantly. In addition to the revelries to celebrate this day - a young virgin girl is promised to …to…"_

Angela couldn't even bring herself to finish the sentence. She tore out of the library and raced down the hall and back to her dorm, leaving a confused Theresa in her wake. She was still in a state of disbelief when Theresa finally followed her back into the room.

"Angela! What is wrong?"

"Everything!" she cried out, seconds from mass hysteria. "You were right. You and Janine were both right! Something bad is going to happen to me tomorrow night! Scath is not whom the others have made him out to be, and the others here cannot be trusted."

"Then you must flee!"

Angela started to take long, deep breaths in an effort to settle her nerves. Once she felt calm enough, she turned back to Theresa. "Well what about you, Teri? You think it's wise for you to stay amongst these people?"

Theresa tensed up. It was common knowledge that she was already on May's bad side and she really didn't want to see if she was also crazy enough to follow through on her threat. Angela however was thinking about another grim matter. What would have happened if she never sought refuge at the 'church'? Would they have used Theresa like they did Marcy for their sinister observance instead? Angela shuddered to think.

"We _both _have to get out of here." stressed Angela. "Neither one of us can afford to stay here any longer." Angela then drew Theresa closer, almost as if she could no longer trust the very walls to conceal their conversation. "Now listen, after you leave here tonight, be cautious but quick about getting together your things. It will be risky to leave at night, since the twins and Xavier will most likely be up and about patrolling, but we'll have to chance it. We'll meet up downstairs in the chapel. If anyone is about, hide yourself in one of the confessionals until I get there and then we run like hell and do not look back."

Theresa nodded. "I will be there shortly. Be careful, Angie."

"You too, Teri."

Theresa nodded again and she hurried out of the room. Angela in the meantime made haste in gathering up her belongings. She thought about changing out of her gown and back into her street clothes but thought against it reasoning that the less time she spent getting ready, the more time she and Teri would have to get away.

Getting away however was proving to be quite an ordeal for Angela. She kept checking the hallways to see if anyone was about and strangely enough, it seemed like the twins were actually keeping post down the hall from her and were taking shifts in monitoring the hall where her room was. Paranoia within time started to creep in…

'_Why are they keeping post than patrolling the building? Can they somehow know what we're up to? Is Teri having the same problem over on her end?'_

* * *

><p>It went without saying that Angela had a relatively sleepless night. She had remained camped out by her dormitory door the entire night and regularly checked for a moment of opportunity to arise. <em>'Patience is a virtue'<em> thought the teen, and if she waited long enough, surely Landon or Logan would at some point be gone long enough for her to make a break for it. So she waited…

And waited…

And for a change of pace, she waited some more, but still no change, and hours later, when the morning sun was surely rising, Angela yawned and stretched to rid herself of the pains of sleeping on a cold stone floor. She wondered if Theresa ever made it down to the rendezvous point and debated whether to check to see if she was still in her dorm. Making sure to keep her book bag down to her side where it would less likely be spotted, Angela cautiously peered out into the hallway (which now of course was as empty as a ghost town) and quietly made her way towards Theresa's room. She didn't even knock on the door as she assumed that only Theresa would be in the room, so she was a little surprised when she found Lilith, Theresa's roommate making up her bed.

"Oh!" smiled Angela, hiding the bag behind her back and doing her best to hide the fatigue, discomfort and skepticism that racked every part of her body. "Morning, Lilith. I thought you would've been up and about already."

"It's ok. But if you were looking for Theresa, she's already gone."

Angela briefly lost her composure and her face melted from a warm smile to a frightened disposition. "'Gone'?"

"That's right. Brother Sebastian and several others had business in Neon Heights and they invited her to come along. The airport shuttle for them has already come and gone."

She then smiled briefly as she passed Angela and exited the room. Angela's eyes widened as all sorts of worse-case scenarios and grim outcomes started to run through her head. Knowing that time was of the essence, Angela started to race throughout the corridors and towards the stairs leading to the lower levels of the building. However, just as her luck would have it, she also nearly collided into Moriah who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Whoa! Why are you off to in such a hurry, little si…"

"What's going on here, Moriah?" asked Angela callously. Moriah was noticeably taken back by the lack of warmth in both her voice and appearance but quickly got her bearings back together. "Going on, little sister?" she asked as if she knew nothing. Angela however was in no mood for Moriah's mind games, mind games that she was certain she had been playing from the very beginning.

"Yes. What is going on around here? What has happened to Theresa…and better yet, Janine?"

"Janine?"

Angela huffed. "Yes, Janine. The chick with the brown hair, green eyes, about this tall, and a bad attitude…you know, Janine?"

"Did you forget little sister? Janine chose to leave our care because she was unhappy here and we chose not to persuade her otherwise because it was for the best."

"How convenient," sneered Angela. "How very convenient that Janine just up and vanished without so much as a peep without telling her friends or that Theresa just had to go on a last-minute business trip with Sebastian and the others clear across the country…" Angela then walked up so that she was almost on top of Moriah who eyeballed her warily. Apparently she wasn't used to people breaking free of the almost hypnotic hold she wielded over them.

"So let me rephrase my question, _sister," _said Angela. "What are you hiding from me?"

Moriah's expression went from baffled to one of annoyance in two seconds flat. "Angela," she started in an unusually grim tone of voice. "I'm warning you. It is best that you forget all about Theresa and Janine. Just concentrate on the task at hand and everything will be fine."

Just as eerily as Moriah had appeared in the hallway, Logan and Landon suddenly appeared behind Angela. "I'm going have to ask that you retire to your room now, Angela," continued Moriah who then handed Angela a slip of paper. "In the meantime study this, and by this evening, you should have it well in mind. Logan? Landon?"

Angela looked on worriedly as the twins stepped forward. Moriah's frown slowly turned into a devious grin as she watched Angela, who tried to outmaneuver and evade the twins but to no avail. She was quickly subdued and Angela struggled violently as she was forcibly carried down the hall and back towards her room.


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

"_Something is wrong,' _thought Angela in a panic._ 'Something is definitely, definitely wrong. They're onto us. They have to be onto us. Why else would they try and separate me from the girls? Hopefully Theresa is ok and can get away and get a fresh start somewhere else. But what about Janine? It was easy to believe that she had left because of me – something which now I am ashamed of – but I also seriously doubt now that she left here of her own free will…or even if she left here at all. I was such a fool for not trusting her and I fear that allowing even the tiniest amount of doubt about her enter my mind has cost us all. I still have to get out of here before the ceremony starts, but I can't leave until I figure out just what truly happened to Janine. Then, I'm gonna run like it's the end of the world…"_

Angela sat on her bed in her dorm room. She had changed into her street clothes and was clutching her backpack, anxiously plotting her next move. She had been confined to her quarters several hours earlier by Moriah, and the clock was ticking. Night would fall very soon being that it was the first day of winter, and if the cult members got a hold of her…

Angela shuddered at the thought. _'It is impossible'_, thought Angela_. 'I have come and been through too much to have it all end this way. There must be a way out…'_ She then rose from her bed and placed her ear upon the door. After been shoved into her room by Landon and Logan, the twins had quickly left her to stew in solitude until the ceremony. Once she was positive that she was still by herself, Angela began rummaging through her pockets until she found what she was looking for: namely a hairpin which had come up while she was gathering her things to escape.

'_This building looks as if it's two days older than dirt. Let's hope that it also means that this lock isn't sophisticated enough to hold up against you…'_

Angela inserted the hairpin into the lock's mechanism and began to fiddle with the pins. After several minutes with no luck, Angela tried other methods, such as bending and reshaping the hairpin, and looking around the room for something …anything to pry or pop the lock off or get the door open. But, as it seemed, the poor girl had run into an awful unlucky streak and nothing seemed to be working…

"Damn Moriah! Damn her and all those raving lunatics who have a part in all this!"

Angela angrily pounded the wall near the door, which inadvertently caused something from across the room to creak. Angela raised an eyebrow at this and when she turned to look, the wall where the armoire sat was sliding open.

"What?"

Angela continued to watch in disbelief as the wall fully extended and revealed a hidden passageway. "You've got to be kidding me," voiced Angela to no one in particular. She then warily approached the entranceway to the hidden passage. Inside the tunnel was nearly pitch black save for the two torches that were affixed to the wall across from her. The tunnel also had stairs that led both upstairs and downstairs and certainly to places of unknown origin. It was then when Angela had another thought.

'_This__ is how they knew we were looking to escape. There must be hundreds of these passageways throughout the building. Moriah or one her cronies could literally be anywhere where we were and eavesdrop onto our conversations…They could also kidnap a person if they wanted to and slip here and there without any detection…'_

The idea of venturing into the passageway was unsettling for Angela, but she wasn't fond of her other options either. She reached out for one of the torches and slowly but surely began to descend down the stairs…

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in the 'Church' of Scath, deep within an ominous windowless room, the cult members gathered for the coming of Scath. Although Angela had reason to doubt the truthfulness of Lilith's revelation, Brother Sebastian and several others (namely his mother, his beau May, her friend Helena and Theresa) had flown over to the West Coast for business matters. This in turn left only the remaining sixty or so members to partake in the ceremony. Xavier for one stood mixing ingredients and toiling over a boiling cauldron, while Moriah stood in front of the ancient manuscript Xavier had been studying earlier. Those that were also present were Ophelia, Lilith the twins, an honorary member named Bethany and several others.<p>

"Brothers and sisters," began Moriah. "The moment that we've all been waiting for will soon be upon us. All of our years of preparations shall finally pay off. All those in opposition to our goal have been eradicated, the incantation and the runes are now prepared for our Lord's return, and the key to bringing everything together has been secured within our walls. When the sun sets tonight, it shall be done. Trigon shall finally return to Earth."

There was a round of applause and Moriah turned to the twins. "Brothers Logan and Landon. If you please, go fetch our lord's sacrifice…"

Landon and Logan nodded and in the blink of an eye, vanished from view.

* * *

><p>Back in the tunnel, Angela is steadily making her way towards what she hoped was the exit. She was pretty positive that she was on the right track for only moments earlier she had found a familiar looking pink book bag laying askew on the stairs…<p>

'_Janine…'_

Certain that Janine was still alive and somewhere within the depths of the building, Angela pressed on, the goal of finding her one, true friend and seeking justice against the sadistic cult leading her on…

* * *

><p>"This is…"<p>

"…not good."

Back in Angela and Janine's room, Landon and Logan had returned to fetch Angela, and upon finding the room empty, the pair exchanged worried looks.

"She must've found the hidden doorway here," stated Landon. "We must follow her."

"Follow her where?" snapped Logan. "She could be anyway by now. We have to go back and let the others know."

"I'm not too sure I like that idea. Xavier and Moriah will be livid."

"You think they'll be livid now? They'll be even madder if the girl escapes. Neither of us possesses the skills to hone in on a person's location, brother. Therefore, we go back to the one person who can, and that unfortunately is Moriah. However, the quicker we inform her of Angela's disappearance, the sooner she can be reprehended and Moriah may show us clemency."

Landon seemed to agree with his brother's reasoning skills, and the two set off to alert the others.

* * *

><p>Back in the tunnel, Angela tensed up as she approached the literal light at the end of the tunnel. As she exited the staircase, Angela found three additional passageways, each one label by a sign written in some unknown language.<p>

"Great, now what?" she murmured to herself, not knowing which pathway to take. She shifted back and forth from one doorway to another, and ultimately she settled on the leftmost doorway. Down the corridor Angela went, her eyes falling upon numerous statues, cryptic runes and drawings and such that signified the dark god that her former friends devoted their lives to. As she progressed, Angela soon realized that the corridor she is in housed numerous prison cells and torture devices. Even more surprising what she founded inside one of the cells.

"Janine?"

Janine was in dire straits by the time Angela found her. She had multiple cuts and bruises all over her body and she was tied up Strappado style and left to hang from the ceiling by her wrists. She also had what appeared to be a weight of some sort tied around her ankles.

"Oh my god! Janine?"

Angela whimpered, for in all honesty it looked as if Janine had already met her maker. Then ever so slowly, Janine's eyes opened and shifted over to the door.

"Angie…" she croaked. It seemed clear that in addition to being subjected to torture, Janine was also being deprived of nourishment.

"Jan…dear God. I had hoped that you were miles from here. Who did this to you?"

Janine breathed hoarsely. "May," she droned.

Angela's face blanched. "Ok, ok," she said, more so to calm herself down than to acknowledge her friend's statement. "Don't worry, Jan. I'm going to get you out of there. There's some serious trouble about, and we're getting out of there. Just hold on a little longer, please, Jan…"

* * *

><p>Back in the mysterious room, the other congregation members waited for the twins' return. Seconds later, Landon and Logan magically reappeared and the room went abuzz for it was apparent that the two were empty-handed.<p>

"Where's Angela?" growled Moriah. The twins cringed at her menacing tone of voice.

"She's…escaped, Sister Moriah," the twins remarked – or rather mumbled.

"What?" she shrieked. "How did you let her escape?"

The twins lowered their head in defeat. "Forget it," she hissed. "Go! Get moving!" She then turned to a young man with dark brown hair and light blue eyes.

" Rhys, go with them and spread out. She couldn't have gotten far..."

* * *

><p>Back in the corridor, Angela had begrudgingly left Janine's side to search the keys to her cell. She passed what looked to be merely a decorative orb but in truth it is a sort of crystal ball. Back in the mysterious room, Ophelia's eyes widen.<p>

"Sister Moriah!"

"I know," she frowned. "I saw her, and clearly she saw that brat Janine too." Moriah then began to hurry out of the room.

"Make sure that everything is ready when we get back," she called out over her shoulder. "There can be no more further delays…"

* * *

><p>"Jackpot…"<p>

Angela stood in front of a massive ring of keys which hung up on the wall. She reached out for them when something moved out of the corner of her eye. Nervously glanced down the hall and to the right of her, Rhys is staring her down, his pale blue eyes almost cutting into her.

"Oh sugar honey iced tea!"

Angela snatched the keys and bolted for it. She gunned down the corridor but skidded to a stop when she saw that the back to Janine's cell was blocked off by the twins. Angela then tore down a side corridor and ran for dear life, the twins and Rhys closing in the gap. Angela continued her sprint, hoping that she could somehow lose the men long enough to double back for Janine, but suddenly crashes into a translucent wall that magically materializes in front of her. Angela groaned in pain and glanced up to find Moriah phasing in from the wall.

"Apparently when you want something done right, you got to do it yourself. Bring her to the ceremonial chamber. It's almost time."

Still a little dazed from crashing into the force field, Angela struggled to get to her feet and then to escape the men's grasps. Rhys took her by the arms and the twins by her legs and the party began to head back to the others.

"Let me go, you freaks! I want no part of this! Let me go!"

"Stop your squirming, Angela," called out Moriah, who walked behind the twins. "Resistance is futile. You made a commitment and you are going to follow through with it even if we have to tie you up like a wild animal. No one, not even _you_ is going to spoil this night."


	10. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

As the cult members carried Angela off, her thoughts drifted back to Janine, who could possibly die at any minute from the brutal punishment she had endured. She couldn't also shake the fact that due to her carelessness, she would most likely be joining Janine - and her mother and brother too for that fact - in the hereafter. The only consolation she had was first noticed when they entered the room where the ceremony was being held. 'Brother' Sebastian, and 'Sisters' May, Helena, and Garnet were absent in attendance, so Ophelia was actually telling the truth about Teri's being made to accompany them west. That to me meant that at least she was alive and well. Then again, unless she sought to run away from them while in Neon Heights, they could quickly change. These people were just not human, and to call them or their god 'monsters' would be a gross understatement.

The cult member keenly waited as Angela was tied down to an altar and Moriah returned to the book-stand to read from the ancient tome that Xavier had been studying so diligently over the past few weeks. Once Angela was secured, the twins and Rhys returned to their positions alongside the others. The three men then picked up their musical instruments and began to play with the other band members while Ophelia, Bethany and several other female cultists started to dance and Xavier and several others chanted softly in some unknown tongue. Moriah took a deep breath and as she recited her incantation, poured some of the cauldron's contents to draw a magical crest on the floor …

"_Bruma, the eve of Earth's Longest Night_

_Ancient spell of binding light dispel_

_And commence our Lord's enemies' plight_

_Open thy gates of Hell_

_We beckon the return of Trigon our divinity_

_Let him find favor with this young femme_

_Let his authority spread throughout all eternity_

_And let his bride produce his greatest gem_

_The gem shall be born of evil's fire_

_The gem shall be his portal_

_He comes to claim, he comes to sire_

_The end of all things mortal!"_

The crest that had been drawn onto the ground began to ominously glow and amid many pulsing lights and bursts of flame, a vortex opened up from the earth and a red and black striped hand slowly began to emerge from below. The cult members went into a frenzied uproar and danced with glee, while Angela like any sane person in such a situation, desperately struggled with her restraints to escape the madness. "He has returned!" shrieked Moriah fanatically as the others continued to rejoice. Then suddenly, Rhys cried out as he fell to the floor. The others stopped and looked on in confusion as Trigon jerked his hand back as if in pain, the crackling energy surrounding the vortex clearly preventing him from moving any further out of the vortex.

"Rhys!" cried out Ophelia and she ran over to his side, but the young man was unresponsive. "My lord?" inquired Moriah. "What have you slain our brother and your most humble servant?"

"You foolish mortals!" thundered Trigon. "So caught up in all of your greed and scheming. If you paid nearly as much attention to the writings you've consulted on the Mark of Scath as you had in retrieving a noble sacrifice, you would have realized that the spell you recited is worthless! Such carelessness must be punished."

"But sire…"

"Silence, thoughtless creatures! No mortal man has the power to dispel this sort of crest of banishment. The spell specially states that only a being of otherworldly descent can do so. The only successful thing you have been able to do is bring me an honorable vessel. But as for you, Talia, and the rest your brethren? You've outlived your usefulness!"

Trigon then grinned wickedly at the looks of terror now etched upon his followers face, and Moriah, or Talia grew paler than a corpse. "Say hello to my father for me, will you?" chuckled Trigon.

Overwhelmed by fear, Angela began to black out and in the background, the piercing cries of those who betrayed her slowly faded to nothing as several of them burst into flames, began to bleed out of every orifice or just simply dropped dead. When she came to, Angela found herself in a strange place that was shrouded in mystery. A heavy mist hung over the plain and there were no distinguishing landmarks or buildings, not one thing. It was also impossible to tell where the ground ended and the sky began. Everything was all gray-scale and dark. Positive that she ought to keep moving, Angela got up and began to walk, and when she began to get frantic, she started to run. After a few terrifying minutes, Angela soon realized that she was trapped. As she stopped for a moment to try and get her bearings, Angela suddenly felt someone's warm breath along the back of her neck and screamed as she bolted away, knowing that whoever or _whatever_ it was had no intentions of making nice with her…

Trigon watched amusingly as the teen-aged girl tried to run away from him. She soon stumbled and fell to the 'floor', and Trigon slowly made his way over towards her, smiling devilishly the whole time. "You're in luck, child," he declared. "While I no longer sought the need for my followers on Earth, your life will be spared today. All in exchange for something else, something else that only _you_ can give me..."

Angela looked at Trigon uneasily, knowing that no good could possibly come from this.

"And what exactly is that?"

Trigon stood over Angela's fallen form and smiled, his golden eyes roving over her body and taking in every intimate detail about her. He then reached forth and tugged on her clothes, which for a being of his power, ripped clean off of her. Angela immediately went to cover herself as best as she could and her eyes grew as large as saucers as Trigon uttered two simple yet ominous words…

"An heir…"

Angela took off running, leaving Trigon to shake his head and laugh. Every so often, Angela changed directions, silently praying that she would somehow find an exit. "It's pointless to run, Angela," taunted Trigon from afar. "There's nowhere to go. We're both trapped in an alternate dimension. The portal that my followers had managed to conjure up will eventually reopen, and I _am_ going to allow you to return to Earth. But as I already mentioned, you are also my trump card that's going to get me out of this purgatory."

Angela shrieked as Trigon suddenly reappeared in front of her and she nervously stepped back.

"You can't fight it, my little fallen angel. This is the way things were always meant to be."

Trigon then grabbed her by the wrist, bringing the frightened girl down to her knees. He then grabbed her other arm and forced her onto her back.

"You _are_ going to be my vessel, and for the next few hours, your ass is mine!"


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

**Numbness gives in to exasperation …**

Angela stood motionless in the communal shower. After she was allowed to return to Earth, she wasted no time hurrying to the showers and for what felt like an eternity, Angela had been doing her best to scrub and wash away all of the filth she swore was all over her body. She almost wished that she could even pop open her very head, take out her brain and scrub that clean as well, to wipe away all of the horrid memories and feelings that plagued her. Angela was also unbelievably sore, due in part from her body being marked with scratches from Trigon's claws and teeth and partly due to the brutal assault. It was enough to make her reminisce to the countless times her own father would beat the living crap out of her, and how the abuse had gotten so bad that she ran away from home in the first place. Oh the very irony that the place she had sought out for her safe haven would quickly turn into Tartarus itself! Angela wanted to laugh at this quirk of fate, to laugh to keep from crying or screaming. Actually, she _wished _that she could cry or scream, since it would have shown that she had something still inside of her, but nothing found the will to bubble forth. She was numb both inside and out, and this exasperated her to no ends…

**Exasperation gives in to vengeance…**

_November 30th, 1988_

_My dear Gwendolynn:_

_So by now I'm sure you don't know what to think of me anymore. Was I stupid or sensible? Cowardly or courageous? Dishonest or decent? Frankly I think I'm all the above and frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. Sorry, I just had to say it, but it's true. You already know that I was the type of person to take no shit from anything and if there was something I wanted, I went for it. Obviously I didn't always come out on top, but I guess that's a part of life. You never really know how something will turn out unless you go for it, even when it seems it's retarded to do so. Again, look at me: tomboy, punker, former drug addict and pickpocket. Now add this to my resume: mother, lover, confidante and friend. See how a person can be more than one thing, Kiddo? That's why I chose to give you up for adoption. Yes, you were different – those eyes, hair and complexion were a dead giveaway of that – but when I first saw you and held you in my arms, I knew you would grow up to be special, and I wanted you to have a better start in life than I had. I haven't really talked to God in quite some time now, but I hope someone loving takes you in if they haven't already and builds you up in life rather than tears you down. I hope that despite the way you look that you'll also be able to make friends and maybe even fall in love. Granted, things didn't work out between me and your dad, especially since he chose to believe his double-crossing friend who tried to cuckold him, but when things were good, they were good. I've also in most recent times have had the pleasure of meeting two girls who I could really call my friends…_

Angela, who now sat in her darkened dorm room, stiffened at the sight of the penned words on a handwritten note she found with Janine's belongings after she stumbled across her bag in the hidden stairwell. While she only known Angela for less than a month, Janine really _did_ view her as a friend. '_This of could now explained'_ – reasoned Angela – '_what she seemed so hurt by my coldness after her confrontation with May and Helena'._ It was also rather obvious now that while the spunky brunette did sometimes come off as abrasive and aggressive to others, she was also a really decent person who like Angela had left a troubled home to find a place to better herself and to help others. Now the young woman was dead. Senselessly beaten and tortured, deprived of food and water for days on end, she succumbed to her wounds not long after Angela was captured. Angela's thoughts then shifted to Teri. Although she had escaped the onslaught of Trigon, she was still amongst the company of the lecherous Sebastian, his homicidal lover and two other 'church members' that could not be trusted. Would her body turn up one day under suspicious circumstances? Or worse still, would Sebastian and the others corrupt the gentle-hearted woman until she was just as ruthless and immoral as they were? It would take a lot of time (or perhaps the rest of her life) for Angela to forget all of the pain she had been through, but she would never forgive those that wronged her. She also would never forgive herself or the members of the Scath church for putting her friends in harms way. For stealing Teri away, for taking Janine's life, for depriving Gwendolynn of the chance to ever meet her birth mother and for robbing Angela of her innocence, Trigon's follower would pay. They would pay dearly…

**Vengeance gives in to animosity and rage…**

But what could she do? She was only a teenaged girl – a physically and emotional scarred teenaged girl with no special powers and no special connections. Moriah and the others that had stayed behind for the ceremony clearly possessed otherworldly powers and skills, so it stood to reason that Sebastian and his remaining brood also had such powers. When they returned from their trip to the West Coast, they would probably go right back to their usual heinous crimes. Or, maybe even without Xavier and Moriah's hold over him and the church, the overly ambitious Sebastian would rule unchecked and unchallenged and God only knows what that would result in for Gotham. Even if Angela ran away and never came back to Gotham City, Sebastian and the others would likely haunt and hunt her down everywhere she went, bringing chaos and destruction along for the ride. No, something _had_ to be done about them and it had to be done now before they had the chance to rethink and regroup. A monkey wrench had to be thrown into the gears of their work. Any bridges leading to and from to this horrible place just had to be bu…

Angela's eyes fell upon the armoire that sat across the room. She hurried over to it and flung open the doors, revealing an old kerosene lamp and a jar of kerosene oil. While the old church relied mostly on fireplaces and candles for lighting (only the offices on the lower levels of the building and part of the kitchen had electricity) there were also kerosene lamps stored in each room in the case of emergencies. Angela's tired face then twisted into an uncharacteristically wicked smirk.

'_Revenge may be best served cold, but things are about to go up in flames…'  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>"There is still no word as to the events that led to the fire that all but destroyed the Faith Through Scath Christian Tabernacle church earlier this morning, although both authorities and local fire investigators have determined that arson was the cause of the deadly destruction. Forensic scientists specialists on site have also uncovered the remains of sixty two people who are believed to be parishioners of the church, two of which have been identified as Moriah 'Talia' Hart, a former theology and psychology student turned cultist, and …local news respondent Bethany Snow…"<em>

"Holy cow…"

Theresa glanced up from the book she was reading to look at the news broadcast that had Helena – her current roommate so transfixed. Her eyes widened at the sight of the destroyed and hardly recognizable Church of Scath and her heart began to beat faster.

_'Angie…no…'_

Theresa was so dismayed by the news that she hadn't sensed that she and Helena were no longer by themselves. As the newscast from Gotham City droned on, May and Sebastian hurriedly entered from the neighboring suite room.

"Did you just…" started May.

"Yeah, we saw," replied Helena, her hazel eyes still glued to the television. Just then, Garnet exited the hotel room's bathroom dressed in her nightgown and bathrobe.

"Saw what?" she inquired. May gestured towards the television and the older woman's jaw dropped.

"Wha…wh…who…" sputtered Garnet."Who is responsible for this?"

"Lady Garnet, please do not get excited," cooed May. "Think of your health."

"Someone has deliberately burned our church **to the ground**. Our fellow brothers and sisters are **dead**. All of our lives' work is likely gone **forever**. How can one not get excited over that?"

"Mother, please…"

Everyone, including Theresa turned to Sebastian, who had been silent since the news first broke. "May is right," he continued. "Please don't get yourself so worked up. This tragedy although a harsh blow to us doesn't spell the end."

Garnet looked on in confusion. "I'm afraid I don't understand. How can you be so optimistic?"

"Well for one thing the fire likely destroyed any of our records we had on location. They may be able to identify the other bodies, but they won't be able to trace anything back to us."

"But how, Brother Sebastian?" asked Helena nervously. "They said that they uncovered only sixty two bodies. That means that someone got out…"

Sebastian grew troubled at the sound of Helena's revelation while May and Theresa both grew flushed.

"Wait…" said Theresa hesitantly. "The five of us are here. If Angela got away, they should've only found sixty one bodies. Are you saying that …Janine…never left that night?"

Sebastian's eyes darted over to Helena, who lowered her head, and May, who flashed a defiant look his way. Garnet also appeared to be the least bit bothered by the news. "It was for the best, Theresa," she mused. "Her presence was causing a conflict between my son and his love, and she had seen and heard too much of our dealings in the church. Had we allowed her to leave on her own free will – and therefore allow her a chance to approach the authorities - we would all be locked up in Arkham by now."

"But she did not deserve to die!" shrieked Theresa. "That's where you're wrong," snapped May. "That stupid cokehead was trying to take my man. I wasn't going to let her behavior go unpunished. Besides how do you know that _she_ wasn't the one that got away?"

"Because everyone knows how much you hated her and how you openly threatened her the night she disappeared!" screamed Theresa, the normally reserved girl speaking clearly out of pent-up anger and courage she never knew she possessed. "I wouldn't be surprised if she was already dead by your hands before Angela got the chance to torch the place!"

"You're just lucky I didn't incl…."

"Enough!"

The two brunettes stopped arguing immediately and Sebastian glared at his beau. "I will not watch you two tear out each other's throats when there are other pressing matters at hand. Yes, our headquarters was destroyed. Yes, our brethren were murdered. Yes, an…innocent woman was needlessly killed, and yes, it appears that there is a survivor who got away. However, we are like the mythological Phoenix. We will rise from what should have spelled our end. Thankfully, over the years, I had sought to relocate the majority of our assets to different locations across the States, such as here in Neon Heights, so at least we're not penniless. This fresh start will also allow me the chance to seek out the path I've wanted to follow for so long, and I trust that I have everyone's backing on this?"

Helena nodded and May answered in agreement and without hesitation. Garnet and Theresa however were undecided. "I…I don't know," started Garnet. "All my life I was brought up believing that our purpose in life was to ensure Trigon's return above all else. At the same time however, all of Trigon's followers are to honor and assist whoever is the head of the church…and that would be you."

"I understand how you feel, Mother, but hear me out when I say that I_ really think it is in everyone's best interests to abandon what was once our family's calling._Our family and brothers and sisters have has been trying to bring Trigon back since the beginning of time and for what? Is it really sensible to devote our lives to a being who could kill us on a whim? Who's to say that Trigon would even have rewarded us for freeing him from his prison? We have been granted such immense power already, Mother. Actually I'm sure that there are _many_ people that were blessed or cursed with special powers. Some of it is through acquired knowledge, some of us inherited it, and some were bestowed it through accident. In any case, we should be using these powers to our benefit, not Trigon's. We only get one shot in this so-called life, and I think that we should be using this time and our resources to mold favorable followers into our likeness and in time, use _them_ to help us take over the world so that you and I can live out the remainder of our days in splendid glory."

Garnet's face grew heavy with thought and everyone else turned to face Theresa, who was now really stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Now then, Theresa," said Sebastian. "I pose the question to you once more. Do I have everyone's backing on this?"


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Two months came and went in almost a blink of an eye. As Gotham City prepared itself for Valentine's Day, there was one resident who was not feeling the holiday spirit. Truth be told, she was absolutely sick to her stomach. Young Angela Roth –the person in question - currently stood hunched over a nearby trash bin dispelling what was her only meal of the day. Granted, the teenager took her chances by ordering from food trucks, hot dog carts and greasy spoons that didn't warrant a 5 star review, but lately it seemed to Angela that she could hardly keep anything down. Then again, with all of the stress she had recently endured, it only seemed logical why she could hardly stomach anything. After all, living as a drifter with no real home or no family or friends to turn to was mentally and physically draining for an adult. How much so then for a seventeen-year old?

_'God, I feel disgusting,'_thought Angela as she hobbled away from the garbage can._ 'Never thought there be a day when I would kill for something as simple as a shower. A nice hot shower and access to the bare necessities. Men have no idea what it's like to be cold, hungry and feeling gross because of a monthly gift from Mother Natu…'_

The words fell from Angela's lips, and she stopped so suddenly on the sidewalk that several people who had been walking behind her grumbled and shouted as they narrowly missed colliding into her and quickly changed paths. The complaints and gestures went unnoticed however as Angela's brain began to kick into high gear over something that she failed to take note of earlier…

_'When __was_ _the last time I had my period?'_

Angela's stomach lurched and rumbled, but she found the willpower to keep it together. Now was not the time to be bent over the nearest gutter or bin Technicolor-yawning. A more terrifying idea was forming in her mind and Angela needed to know if her suspicions were justified. A.S.A.P. Angela then began to walk briskly throughout the streets of Gotham until she came upon a 24-hour pharmacy and entered. The door chimed jingled softly, but being that the store was practically empty, it seemed deafening. Angelanervously and aimlessly begins to wander up and down the aisles and she eventually stopped in front of the family planning section. She eyed the merchandise cautiously and after a moment of hesitation, grabbed three pregnancy tests from the shelves. Angela then stealthily but quickly made her way towards the rear pharmacy counter, where there is one lone pharmacist manning the desk.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked politely. Angela blushed and lowered her head.

"…Is there a restroom that I can use?" she pleaded sheepishly.

The woman's eyes quickly dropped down to the items in Angela's (who looked positively scared out of her wits) possession.

"Home life too bad for you to test there?" she asked, reaching for a ring of keys hanging behind her. "Something like that," murmured Angela. She then lifted her head at the sound of keys settling onto the counter and glanced up at the pharmacist who was gesturing to a co-worker that she was leaving her post.

"Come," she said in a hushed voice. "I'm not really supposed to do this, but I'll let you into the employee restroom."

Angela hurried behind the woman who led her towards the rear of the store and opened the restroom door. "Make sure to slam-lock it close when you're done."

Angela handed her the money for the pregnancy tests and mouthed her gratitude while the pharmacist nodded and left her to her task. Minutes later, there were two tests sitting on the edge of the sink, and Angela impatiently tapped her foot as she stared at the third test in her hand. She eyeballed the watch on her wrist again and after taking a deep breath, she studied the test in hand and inhaled deeply. The worst thing she ever imagined seeing: a red plus sign was clearly evident on the test and the two that preceded it. Angela then exhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

"Dear God, help me…"

* * *

><p>"<span><em>You<em>. You…must…really….really…hate me," chuckled Angela, who was now hiding out from the blustery winds in a dingy alleyway. "What did I ever do to deserve this? I've always been a decent person. I tried to save my mother, and I tried to give my father time to come to his senses. When I left home, I never stole from anyone and whenever I could, I worked to make my keep. So, why? Why is it, that during all those weeks that I stayed there at that place, that you never warned me once…that you ever warned me once that those people really weren't who they claimed to be? I was stupid enough to enroll myself into a cult. Bastards never cared about me at all, only wanted to use me in their little ritual. And what's worse is that thing that they managed to conjure up and how he…"

Angela's voice trails off and she gasps for air, trying her best not to break down any further. She then rests up against the alleyway wall and slides down to the ground.

"I mean, it's one thing to be raped by a perfect stranger or even a friend. But to be raped and raped repeatedly by an evil incarnate? And now I know that I'm **pregnant** with his…child?"

Lightning danced across the sky_,_ and in a flash, Angela reached for one of the numerous pill bottles that she had purchased from the pharmacy at her feet. "Mankind has done nothing but make my life miserable. Yet at the same time I couldn't live with myself knowing that the being inside of me has a possible chance of destroying us all. But at least now I can undo the damage I've done. This child won't have to suffer and neither will I. And hopefully, through my sacrifice, I can finally be with Mom and Connor…"

She then reached for a bottle of water sitting off to her side, ready to ingest the pills that she is certain will terminate both her and her unborn child's life…

"Don't move…"

Angela froze and warily looked over her shoulder at to find two shifty young men slowly approaching her from the mouth of the alley. The man that was closest to her brandished a knife while his partner kept looking back to insure that no one else was around or watching them.

"Don't move from that spot," repeated the first man. "Give me your money."

Angela scoffed. Then again, who could blame her? She was clearly having a severe case of Murphy's Law and it was grossly ironic that the man had threatened to kill her if she retaliated when she was just seconds from taking her own life. In any case, she was in no mood to deal with petty thugs and wanted to see them off post haste.

"That's all I have," she replied, digging into her pocket and hurling the last bit of her money at his feet. "Honest. Take it and go."

The man with the knife cautiously went to pick up the several wrinkled bills while the other man, who seemed satisfied that no one was around to intervene, walked up to her.

"No dice, cutie,_" _he smirked. "What you got here is chump change. If you want to go, me and my boy Charlie are first need a little…compensation…"

_'Oh, hell, no…'_

Horrified with the prospect of being raped yet again, and totally forgetting or not caring about the knife that 'Tony' was wielding, Angela took off and ran further down the alleyway.

"Shit! After her, man!" she heard the second thug screamed out.

"The hell you yelling at me for? She was right in front of you!"

Angela continued her flight down the alleyway with the two hoodlums not too far off. The fact that the lane was littered with all sorts of debris didn't help any and eventually Angela slipped on a puddle of mystery fluid. The fall itself wasn't severe enough to impair her, but her already exhausted body refused to cooperate and Angela laid in the muck just wishing that the nightmare that was her so-called life would just end already. Just when it seems that her attackers were closing in on her, Angela heard a strange sound coming from behind her. Angela then turned around and her eyes popped open at the sight of what seemed like a magical portal or rift of some sort several yards away from her. The strange presence had also succeeded in shielding Angela her from the thugs, who stopped in their tracks and looked on in confusion as a man with chestnut brown hair and a long beard wearing a long purple tunic with gold accents slowly emerged from the void.

_"_What the…!" exclaimed Charlie. "Leave this girl be," the strange man stated calmly. Tony in turn got in front of his buddy and gestured at the man with his gun.

"Back off, Pops. This ain't got nothing to do with you."

"That's where you're wrong. Leave this girl be or suffer the consequences."

Tony fired at the man, but after waving the staff that in his hand, the bullet disintegrates before it is even remotely close to the strange man, and the gun is ripped from Tony's grip and sent flying further down the alleyway. A perplexed Tony and his now terrified partner look on as the man's eyes begin to glow a bluish color.

"Yo, man let's go," said Charlie. "This some serious weirdness right here."

Tony is still staring down the mystery man who looked none too thrilled about him and his partner harassing Angela. Charlie stopped running long enough to turn back to his friend. He then glanced over at Angela, who looked as if she was thinking the same thing as him: namely if staying with a man with glowing eyes and who literally pops out from nowhere while wielding magic was actually the lesser of two evils…

"Zucco, man! Come on! Let's go!"

Tony glared at the man one last time before he finally turned tail and disappeared into the night, leaving Angela and her 'savior' in the dank corridor. The man smiled lightly and then slowly began to make his way toward Angela, who bolted for the gun on the ground and pointed it at him. Surprisingly, the man simply stopped in his tracks.

"Keep away from me!" demanded Angela. "You just…stay away from me!"

"I have no such intentions in hurting you. I only wanted to save you from those men and to keep you from doing something you cannot undo."

"You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Is that so…Miss Roth? Do you really think that no one cares about you? Do you really think that things are so bleak that suicide is the only answer?"

Angela's eyes widened, and out of shock, she dropped the gun back onto the ground. "Who…are you?"

"My name is Coman, and my people and I have been watching you."

" 'Watching me?'"

"Yes. I come from a magical realm that isolated itself from Earth centuries ago. Back in the Dark Ages, there were many people of different tribes and tongues who wanted to escape the violence and evil that plagued our world, but none of us knew exactly how to accomplish this. In time, word got around that there was a mage by the name of Azar, who had been exploring the boundaries of time and space and through his studies, he had stumbled upon an entire new world uninhabited and untouched by man. Willingly forsaking our material possessions and ties with this world, we were able to make the transition and in time, we built a world to our liking. Azar soon became leader and founder of our land, and he as well as many others well-schooled in the Heraldic or in your terms Magic Arts taught us all that they knew.

"And you're telling me all this because…"

"When we left Earth for what is now called Azarath, we vowed to use our knowledge and our powers only for the sake of peace and to ensure that evil would not overtake our new home. And after your unfortunate run-in with Trigon and his followers…"

"Trigon? Is that the name of…"

"Yes that creature that brutally attacked you is Trigon, although throughout the years, his followers have been using the assumed name of Scath to remain undetected by those who opposed him."

"I see…But what does all of this have to do with me?"

"You are with child, and by his seed, are you not?"

"…Yes. I have… been… with no other…"

"Then you carry a great burden within you, dear child. Ages ago, Trigon as well as many of his demon brethren were banished from both heaven and earth, but before his exile, Trigon swore revenge upon all living things, and he decreed that the first woman to successfully mate with him would become pregnant with his offspring. When this child reaches the age of sixteen, he or she would be at the most powerful and at the same time the most vulnerable point in their short life. At this time, he or she would easily be persuaded to join Trigon, and through this union, a portal would open, allowing Trigon permanent entry to Earth. And once back on Earth…"

"Everything and everyone would fall at his hand…"

Coman nodded slightly and Angela looked down sadly. Coman then looked at the young girl with sympathy, searching for the right words to ease her anguish. Eventually, Angela looked back up at him and their eyes met for the first time since the conversation started.

"Deep down, I always knew that nothing good could come from Trigon taking me," stated Angela. "But, this is still a human life - if not half of one - inside of me. This child…my child…has literally the weight of the world on his or her shoulders. What am I to do with such a paradox hanging over me?"

"Come with me…"

"What?_"_

"Come with me. That is why I'm here. When Azarath picked up on what had befallen you, Queen Azar, Azar the first's granddaughter and current leader of our people, felt certain that something could be done to reverse the effects of Trigon's plan."

"How?"

"By coming to Azarath. Our people could protect you and the child from harm, and you would be out of reach from Trigon. After all, he can't overtake the Earth if you and the child are no longer on Earth, yes? He would have to search every land and dimension to find you, and thus allowing us more time to counteract."

"Well, that does make sense…"

"You would come to live among us, learning our way of life. And as the child grows, we can come up with a plan to stop Trigon once and for all. There's just one catch."

"And that would be?"

"Like those before you, you will have to forsake everything you have on Earth. Also, because of the matter at hand, you would have to adopt a new identity…"

Angela closed her eyes and things grew silent between the two of them. After a few minutes of thinking, she opened her eyes and spoke four simple words...

"Then so be it."

Coman nodded and extended his hand toward Angela. He then pounded his staff several times on the floor, closed his eyes and began to speak:

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos...Carazon Rakashas Endere..."

As the incantation continued, flashes of bluish light began to surround the two. Naturally apprehensive, Angela clung to Coman's right arm, and soon a cylinder-like aura enveloped them.

"Vaserix Endrien… Azarath...Azarath…AZARATH!"

With that final declaration, Angela and Coman began to float off of the floor and towards a swirling vortex of light overhead. Startled, Angela screamed and closed her eyes as she and Coman were sucked into a fiery like tunnel with blinding mystical lights rushing throughout the area. As they flew forth, Angela frantically clung to Coman's body, who blushed at the contact. "Do not fear," shouted Coman to the panic-stricken teen. "This is only a safeguard for any who may try to break into Azarath. Rest assured that you will not be harmed."

Hearing this, Angela relaxed a little and she and Coman continued to fly throughout the mysterious portal. In time the two reached the end of the tunnel where a large circular pattern traced in pink light-arcs and triangles at the center, with runes inscribed around the perimeter laid before them. Angela looked on in wonder as Coman held out his staff and touched the crest. It disintegrated upon contact and with a blinding light, the two fell forth through its opening and onto a patch of grass.

"Are you OK?" asked Coman, extending a hand to her. Angela simply nodded and rose from off the ground. After dusting herself off she then walked to the edge of the clearing and gazed off into the horizon. Several miles away, Angela caught sight of a fairly large city with numerous towers and building of varying architecture and design. At the center and overlooking the entire city stood a tall tower of ivory with several gold accents and on the front of the tower was a golden icon of an eagle.

"Welcome…to Azarath…" said Coman to an awe-struck Angela.


	13. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

A few hours later, Angela sat alone on the balcony of the tallest tower feeding breadcrumbs to the doves that congregated at the garden terrace. Having freshened up and had a change of clothes, she was in a much calmer mood, and when she had asked Coman for a little time alone, it was willingly granted. And this worked out fine; Angela after all she had been through needed a moment to gather her thoughts, and Coman and his colleagues needed time to plan the next step. Inside of the central tower, Coman stood with several members of the ruling magistrate of Azarath inside of a grand courtroom. Azar, the leader of the land and the woman responsible for Coman retrieving Angela watched on intently from her throne as the debate of the century raged on…

"Brothers, sisters, please…" pleaded Coman in an attempt to regain control of the room. "We must have order…"

"Order?" scoffed a middle-aged man with shoulder-length blond hair and green eyes and like Coman and the others present sported a long purple tunic with golden accents. "You have brought the one person who serves as Trigon's vessel to our beloved Azarath. How can there be order?"

"Bear in mind, my Lord Onyx, that I did not impose it upon myself to make such a decision…Her Majesty asked me to retrieve Ms. Roth in the hopes of finding a way to thwart Trigon's scheme and to rid not all of life itself of the crimson threat."

The second it became common knowledge that it was the very queen of all of Azarath who summoned Angela requested to be brought to Azarath, Lord Onyx tensed up, and the remaining members of the Royal Magistrate either looked upon their leader in shock or quickly whispered to one another.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," continued Lord Onyx. "You know that I would normally never question a decision you've made, but hear me out when I say that I still feel that this course of action is disastrous. Having that girl here is probably the worst thing for the wellbeing of Azarath!"

"But Juris," replied a female magistrate. "My Lady wouldn't have made such a decision if there was no possibility that Trigon could be defeated."

"Indeed," voiced an elderly male magistrate. "The foremost duty of Azarath is to ensure peace for all and if left alone to his own devices, who knows what Trigon could do? It would be disastrous on our part to ignore such a problem."

"So it's better to have a walking time-bomb live amongst us?"

"I have to agree with Juris," reasoned another magistrate. "I second it," replied another. "I feel sorry for the girl, and for the child. But it's asking a lot of our people to be launched into a war that they not only didn't start, but didn't ask to be in."

"Here, here!"

"Juris speaks the truth!"

"Well, now that you put it that way…"

"SILENCE!"

And the room fell silent indeed. Everyone turned to Azar, who at this point levitated from her seat and slowly glided towards them, her long snow white hair blowing in the breeze. She gracefully landed in front of her peers and narrowed her cloudy gray eyes.

"Do you even hear yourselves?" she hissed. "You are talking about basically condemning a girl that has nothing left to call her own, her unborn child, and all life as we know it to death! If she was left on Earth, it would be all the more easier for Trigon to get to them, and heaven knows that is the last thing we need right now."

"But Your Majesty," trembled yet another magistrate. "What are we to do?"

"Well, given the reaction I have witnessed today, Lord Watanbe, it would be best if both the girl and the child is kept as isolated from everyone else as possible. The less people that know about the situation, the better. The two of them will be kept at a disclosed location – again for the safety for all those involved – and she and especially the child will be monitored closely. It stands to reason that due to the child's father, he or she will inherit some magical prowess, and this must be assessed to better understand both the child's role in the prophecy and the enemy himself, and in time, to find a way to rid ourselves of him once and for all."

Several of the magistrates and Coman nodded in agreement.

"That is all I have to say. You are dismissed." The queen then turned to Coman who waited patiently for further orders.

"Send for her…"

Coman bowed and then exited the room. Moments later Coman whisked Angela before Azar.

"Please sit," said Azar warmly. "Yes, Ma'am, uh Your Majesty," answered Angela meekly and sat down upon a simple wooden bench.

"Your name is Angela, is it not?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Angela Roth."

"I'm certain you are aware of the circumstances surrounding your child's conception, Angela, as well as the uneasiness some already have and which others are sure to feel towards you and the child?"

"Yes. Though, I can't say that I blame them."

"So you wouldn't have any qualms about us concealing your real identity and sheltering you and your child in at a disclosed location?"

"No, Your Majesty. I wouldn't question anything you suggest. If anything, it would only be reasonable to do so."

"Very well then. Listen carefully as this information is confidential and only we here in this room and those most trusted by me can know of what I am about to say. Starting today, you will be taken to live at one of my family's villas located at the outskirts of Azarath. It is nicely secluded there, and you and the child will be most comfortable living there. You will never have to work to make a living and you will also be assisted by a woman named Gayla. She is the housekeeper there and has great experience as a midwife. Lastly, you will no longer be known as Angela Roth. Rather your new name here in this world…is Arella."

"Arella?"

"It means 'messenger of God'."

"I see…Well, thank you, your Grace."

"Take care, young Arella. We will be in touch, and welcome to your new home…"

* * *

><p>With the passing of time, Angela now known as Arella came to grow fond of this new world she called home. Back in Gotham, Angela often felt uneasy and a tad claustrophobic from all of the towering buildings, smog and the constant threat of crime and violence. But here and as Arella, such things seemed like mere illusions. And as Azar promised, Arella was truly free to walk about on the villa grounds and Gayla, a sweet and elderly woman proved to be her dearest friend and confidante. At times the two of them would journey to the local marketplace, which pleased Arella much. It was always full of such life and interesting people and things – quite a contrast to what she had once known...<p>

The months quickly came and went, and on one overcast summer afternoon, a heavily pregnant Arella stood in the villa's courtyard. She was very close to her due date and she had received word today that Azar and several others were making the journey to both assist and witness the birth. And, like the countless other first-time mothers, Arella nervously contemplated how much her life would change once she delivered…

"When I was young, I had hoped that you would be here when I had my first child," she said to no one in particular, tenderly caressing her swollen belly. "But I still thank you for being the best mother there ever was. I only hope I can be half as good as you; for my baby's sake."

"Arella!" said Gayla, the hefty woman standing in the doorway to the villa. "Whatever are you doing out here? It looks as if it's going to rain any minute. Come inside."

"Just thinking…and thanking Mother." Arella then turned to face the older woman. "Do you think she's proud of me, Gayla?"

"Honey, mothers always are proud of their child. And they will always love them, no matter how special they are or how lost they may seem. You'll see. The minute you're holding that baby, you'll see what I'm talking about."

Arella smiled. "You're right. I supposed I'm just being nervous and…"

Arella let the sentence drop as she gasped, and seconds later found herself standing in a puddle of fluid…

* * *

><p>Hours later, a summer rainstorm was raging outside and inside of the villa, Arella, Gayla and several others was deep in the midst of delivery, while Azar and Coman anxiously waited outside of Arella's bedroom door. "I can see the head" cried Gayla, who was positioned in front of Arella. "Just a few more pushes, Arella!"<p>

"I can't!" she wailed. "I can't, I can't. Just kill me now."

"Don't talk like that. You can do this!"

"Well maybe I don't want to do this anymore!"

"Arella…"

"Sweetheart, the worst is almost over," cooed a nursemaid. "And it'll be over so much sooner if you just work with us."

Arella moaned and slowly repositioned herself, grabbing the hands of two nearby nurses for support. "Ok, let's try this again," she said through clenched teeth. Gayla nodded and Arella screamed as she pushed once more…

"Ok, this is it! Prepare the blankets and a clean wash basin!"

"Someone fetch the scissors!"

"One more push, love, and then it's all over!"

Arella screamed at the top of her lungs one last time and in that instant a baby's cries filled the room. As Azar and Coman rushed in, the nurses and Gayla fussed over the baby and quickly set to cutting the umbilical cord and cleaning up.

"It's a healthy baby girl!" cried Gayla, cradling the infant and then holding her up into the air for all to see as she had found The Holy Grail.

But Arella didn't hear her, or much else for that matter. Fatigue had consumed her whole, and the exhausted eighteen year old collapsed back onto the bed. Gradually, everything around her, from the sight of all those shuffling around the room to the sound of the tiny infant wailing in Gayla's arms simply faded to nothing...


	14. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

"She's such a sweet baby," said Arella, smiling down into the crib at her pride and joy. Her daughter was truly a sight to behold. She had skin as pale as moonlight, with eyes the color of indigo...

"All the better for you, honey," chuckled Gayla, opening a nearby window for some fresh air. "Some babies are colicky and your little one hasn't shown any signs of it or any other problems of the sort."

Arella laughed as her little girl made the discovery that she had feet and promptly placed her left foot in her mouth. "Do those actually taste good, baby?" she cooed.

"By the way, whatever are you going to call her? 'Baby' and 'sweetie' are not going to cut it, and it's been almost three months."

"I know, Gayla. I know. I'm just trying to find the name that best suits her. Something natural, beautiful and mysterious..."

Gayla nodded. Just then, the sound of a horse-drawn carriage was heard coming down the snow covered path leading to the villa.

"Were you excepting company, Gayla?" asked Arella. "I was just about to ask you," came Gayla's reply as she stared out of the window. As the mystery coach neared the villa grounds, a golden crest of an eagle was visible along the side doors.

"It's Azar!" exclaimed Gayla. "I'll be right back, love." She then hurriedly exited the room to let in their guest. Minutes later, the wise leader of all of Azarath entered the room and promptly closed the door behind her. Arella gracefully curtsied before her and smiled warmly.

"Good day, Your Majesty. To what do I owe the pleasure of being in your company?"

"Good afternoon, Lady Arella. I apologize for just dropping by like this so suddenly, but I had some pressing news that needed to be discussed."

"I see," said Arella, taking a seat. "Well, please continue."

Azar simply nodded and exhaled a deep breath. "It has to do with your daughter."

"My daughter? What about her?"

"Well namely the…strange occurrences that have befallen those who have been in her presence. I'm certain you've become aware that she possesses…great power?"

Arella sighed deeply. "Yes. As I'm sure you've already heard, Gayla and I and… well, we all found this out the hard way I'm afraid…"

* * *

><p><em>Five days earlier, Arella, and Gayla stood outside of the villa accompanied by one of the queen's valet's as an escort. It was a crisp winter day, and Arella was to ride into town for some supplies and to get some fresh air. However, she was barely out into the courtyard before she began having second thoughts about the trip… <em>

"_Are you sure the two of you are going to be okay? I know it's just a short ride into town but…"_

"_Of course, love," reassured Gayla. "I've birthed and raised and watched over more babies than I have fingers and toes. You go on now. You've been cooped up here ever since you entered your third trimester. You need to get out and see some new sights, mingle with other people, stretch out your legs so to speak."_

_"I don't know..."_

_"Aye," laughed Gayla. "You first time mothers and your separation anxiety. But I understand where you're coming from. Rest assured though that while you're gone, your daughter is in safe hands with me…"_

_Arella, a little more reassured nodded and went to mount her horse. Gayla stood and waved Arella and her escort off for a few moments before returning back inside the villa. Just then, a cloaked figure emerged from the nearby bushes. __After a few tense moments, the stranger crept up to the door, carefully inspected the lock and with quick and silent precision, broke in. Inside of the villa, the cloaked figure stood in the foyer, surveying his surroundings. Down the hall, it sounded like Gayla was inside busying herself in the kitchen, completely unaware of the uninvited guest. The stranger turned right and hurried up the several flights of stairs and to the lone room at the top. Now at his destination and the cloaked figure skulked over to the crib where Arella's daughter slept. His eyes soon fall upon a pillow __that rests in a nearby rocking chair, and after retrieving it, and he slowly walks towards the crib…_

_"What do you think you're doing in here?"  
><em>

_The cloaked man stopped in his tracks and turned to find Gayla standing in the doorway, his hood falling down in the process. Somehow, Gayla had sensed that something was amiss and had gone up to check on her charge and upon seeing the man's true identity, her dark brown eyes widened in surprise._

"_Lord Onyx? Why are you…"_

"_I'm here to do something that should've been done months ago," said Juris coldly. "This monstrosity does not belong here, Lady Shelly. She must go. For centuries, we have known about the dark prophecy tied to Trigon's child. Just think about the chaos and destruction that will come if this child is allowed to reach maturity…"_

"_I understand that you're upset, but you're speaking treason, my Lord. You know violence and murder is not allowed on Azarath, and yet here you stand ready to commit such acts, and on a helpless child!"_

"_Helpless child?" Helpless child?! That child carries the blood of Trigon the Terrible. How helpless can she possibly be?!"_

"_You need to leave…now," said Gayla sternly. "I have been entrusted to care for this baby, and I will not disappoint my lady or her Majesty in this matter."_

"_Then you too shall join this demon seed in Hades!" screamed Juris, striking the older woman across the face. The combination of Juris's flaring temper and the sound of a startled Gayla falling to the floor jarred the infant from her sleep and she immediately started to cry. Juris then lunged at Gayla and attempted to strangle her dead…_

* * *

><p><em>Some distance away, Arella and her escort are riding through the woods towards the nearby village square when she suddenly stops and turns back to face the way that she had come from.<em>

"_My lady?"_

_Worry and apprehension was etched on her face. "Something is wrong," she whispered. _

"_What? Did you see something in the brush?"_

"_No. I mean something is wrong back home. We need to go back."_

"_My lady…"_

"_John, please. Something in my gut says that something is wrong. We must go back, immediately."_

"_Of course, Lady Arella."_

_And with that, the duo turned tails and began to race back to the villa…_

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, Gayla managed to break away from Juris's grip. As she struggled to breath, Juris redirected his attention back at the crib. Before he could approach the crib once more, Gayla reached over to grab Juris's leg and trip him. Infuriated at the interference, Juris released his wrath on Gayla once more. As the two screamed and fought, Arella's daughter cried even harder, and random objects in the room began to levitate, rattle in place or fall from their respective places. Juris unleashed Gayla and turn to look at the baby in horror…<em>

"_No! You __**will**__ be stopped, demon!"_

_At this, Juris stretched forth his hand and began to recite a spell… "Azarath Metrion Zinthos...Carazon Rakashas Endere..."_

_The charka stone on the infant's forehead began to glow…_

"_Vaserix Endrien…Sheol…Sheol…Sh….!"_

_Juris was interrupted in mid-incantation as a wave of black energy surged from the tiny baby and tackled him. Juris groaned and stirred a bit, but Gayla looked on in horror as Juris's body started to glow. The magistrate cried out as the glowing radiance overtaking __him grew brighter and stronger. His screams grew more agonized and tears streamed down his face as an unknown force destroyed him from the inside out. Suddenly, a blinding light began to pour from Juris's mouth, nose, eyes and ears and everything turned white. When the light died down, Gayla uncovered her head and turned to Juris, who was reduced to a smoking pile of ashes. She then looks over at the crib, where the baby is still bawling. The door burst open, and Arella and John rushed inside._

"_Gayla! My baby! Is she…"_

"_My god…" murmured John, taking in the scene. Gayla laid shell-shocked on the floor, and Arella immediately went to pick up her daughter. After a brief moment of rocking her, the infant was pacified and Arella knelt at Gayla's side._

"_Gayla, what happened?"_

"_Lord Onyx…He…he tried to…He tried to kill the baby."_

"_What?!" said John. "That's treason! Where is he? He must be brought before the Queen and the Royal Magistrate."_

_Gayla slowly pointed a finger at the still smoldering pile of ash. _

"_H…How did…"_

_Gayla now slowly and shakily pointed a finger at the crib, and John and Arella uneasily exchanged looks with each other…  
><em>

* * *

><p>"That was a dark day for all of Azarath," said Azar. "Juris was a highly esteemed member of the Royal Magistrate, yet he allowed fear to cloud his judgment. He knowingly sought you out, waited until he thought your daughter was alone, and imposed it upon himself to execute her. In the end, he brought on his own death when your child, sensed the danger Juris sought to deal her, and retaliated with her own powers. Ironically because of her heritage, the fallout of Juris's spell wasn't strong enough to kill her, and she somehow was also able to shielded Gayla from harm. Otherwise, we would've had two causalities on that fateful day."<p>

"Even since that day, we make it a point to always have on hand whatever she may need and whenever she may need it," replied Arella. "This has helped regulate her mood a great deal. Every so often, random things from around the room may break, float or fall out of its place, but nothing as catastrophe as…as it was then…"

"But this method isn't definite. While keeping the child calm is imperative, as she gets older, she could easily become spoiled. And a child with such power who is spoiled and used to having things her way can be very dangerous to be around."

"Yes, I know…" said Arella sadly. All of a sudden, Azar gasped, her eyes locked onto something over by the window. Arella turned to see what it was and perched on the windowsill sat a lone raven. It was a rather small and a rather ordinary bird, with chocolate brown eyes, black plumage and a dark bill. And yet this tiny creature was able to make one of the strongest mages of all of Azarath go completely pale in the face.

"Azar?" questioned Arella, seeing the older woman's reaction to the uninvited guest. "It's…a…raven," said Azar in a hushed voice, gripping her staff.

"So?"

_"So? _Ravens are an icon of dread, Arella. They're known to feed off of dying flesh and there are numerous stories surrounding the belief that being in the presence of ravens or in this case being visited by one, is a most ominous sign!"

Arella raised an eyebrow and turned to the window once more. With its dark feathers and beady little eyes, the bird did in fact understandably emit a sense of fear towards all who saw it. Yet at the same time, the raven seemed just as nervous of Arella and Azar as they were of it. And with that, Arella found a sense of pity for it.

"Perhaps it's lost its way?" inquired Arella.

"Well it needs to_ find_ its way out of this room. We have enough troubles on our hands as is without that thing bringing more bad luck."

The raven now cocked its head and cawed at Azar, who was slowly making her way towards the window, gripping her staff as if it were a baseball bat.

"Azar, what are you…"said Arella, hesitantly. "Casting this accursed creature off," she replied, her eyes still focused on the unsuspecting bird.

"You're not going to kill it, are you?"

Azar stopped and turned to Arella, who had an unusually sad face. She then lowered her staff and sighed.

"I only had intentions to scare it away."

Whether Arella believed this to be true or not is still a mystery, for without a word, she walked over to the window and extended her hand toward the raven. The raven looked at the outstretched limb in confusion, apparently trying to make out what was happening here but eventually, it gathered that it was safe to trust the strange creature and gently perched itself on Arella's arm. Azar watched in wonder as Arella gently stroked the raven's feathers. She then leaned out of the window and gestured for the raven to take flight, and obediently, the bird took off and flew into the horizon. Arella then shut the window and went to take a seat over by the baby's crib.

"Well, then," said Azar, who visibly looked most relived that the bird was gone. "As I was saying, simply pacifying the child every time she cries won't always work. What if she falls down during play and you or Gayla is not there? Or, what if you tell her something that she doesn't want to hear or do? Her destructive behavior if left unchecked could hurt innocent bystanders and more importantly, could alert her father as to her whereabouts."

"I understand that, Azar. But I only have but so much experience in the Heraldic Arts, and with my baby's…heritage, I wouldn't have much influence over her."

"Which is why I feel that she must come to live with me..."

Arella looked at Azar as if she had two heads. "Excuse me?"

"Now before you go and get upset, Arella, I think this is for the best."

"You're taking my baby away from me?!"

"Arella, please. I only suggested this because I would be able to train her to both use and control her powers more effectively. At the same time, I can come to a full knowledge of what she can and cannot do and thus we'll be that much closer to defeating Trigon."

Arella turned away from Azar and stared at the opposite wall. "She would still be your daughter, Arella. I'll only take her on as an apprentice. And she can stay with you here until she's old enough to understand that she has unique powers that require additional training to master. Not a day sooner…"

Arella remained silent, and Azar sighed once more. She then turned and started to walk out of the room.

"...I will bring her to you when I feel that she is ready," replied Arella finally. Azar turned back around and nodded.

"I understand. I will await your visit, and good day to you."

Arella nodded and Azar left the room. The young mother then turned to her daughter's crib once more. The infant, now sleeping soundly on her back, let out a little sigh of contentment. Arella smiled and lovingly caressed her baby's head.

"Sleep well…my little Raven…"


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Time waits for no man, and this couldn't be proven any truer for Arella. It seemed like all she did was just blink and Raven was already nearing her first birthday. Being highly inquisitive, Raven enjoyed many a day just crawling about through the villa and its garden and exploring the big world around her. And always standing not too far off from her was Arella, who keenly observed every little thing she did. At times Arella would laugh at the way Raven would stumbled across certain things and she would fawn over how the simplest things in life, like the passing of a butterfly, would both fascinate and delight her.

"She's very studious and observant of her surroundings," said Arella to Gayla and John one day. "She's going to be very involved in learning and books one day."

Gayla looked at the little toddler, who was now investigating a nearby flowerbed and smiled.

"She sure will," she replied.

* * *

><p>Two years passed and as Arella predicted, Raven often found herself flipping through books and pleading with Arella to read her stories. And Arella being the doting mother that she was would often agree to the task. One day, she searched high and low for Raven's favorite storybook which had gone missing earlier that day, and after several attempts (and several overturned objects later) she returned back to her daughter empty-handed. Understandably disappointed and yet strongly determined, the three-year-old's eyes soon began to glow white and the red chakra stone in the center of her forehead glowed red. Surprised, Arella jumped back and watched in amazement as the 'lost' storybook slide from out of its hiding place - which was under the bookcase - floated across the room and into Arella's hands. Arella looked down at Raven, who smiled smugly.<p>

"Found it!" she squealed. Arella could only laugh at her little declaration.

"Yes you did. Now how did you get to be such a smart girl? I would've never guessed to look under there for it."

**"**I don't know," she shrugged. "I just felt that the book was there. And it was!"

Arella smiled and took a seat on the floor in front of Raven. "Well then, shall we?" she said, opening the book and turning the pages...

Hours later, when Raven and the others were fast asleep in their rooms, Arella crept outside to the garden to be by herself. There, under the cover of a large weeping willow, Arella thought back to the day when she came so close to taking both hers and Raven's life. And here within her solitude is where she wept silently.

_'I can't believe how selfish I was,'_ she thought to herself. '_I had once reasoned that God was ignoring my cries for help. But in truth, he __must __have heard me, because he went and sent Coman to my side. And if it hadn't been for Coman, I would've lost what has to be most important thing in my life. Cursed or born of the purest blood, I see now what Gayla was talking about. Raven is all I have left in this life, and I wouldn't trade her for anything. And as her mother, I will do all in my power to ensure that her life is not full of the same sorrow and pain that mine was…even if it means giving her to Azar…'  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Raven?" called Arella as she wandered the halls of the villa. Raven, now five years old, had decided upon herself to play a game of hide-and-seek – just when Arella needed to have a talk with her. Things were getting to the point where Raven was simply too much for her and Gayla and John to handle. With Raven's powers steadily growing and with Arella having very little power to curb the outbursts, she sadly knew that the time had come for her and Raven to make the inevitable journey to Azar's tower.<p>

"Raven?" cried Arella once more, entering the main study, and surprisingly she found it empty. _'I was positive that of all places I'd find her in here'_ she thought to herself. Suddenly a swirling vortex of black energy appeared in front of her. Arella screamed as Raven flew in through the self-made portal, grinning all the way.

"Got you, Mommy!" she laughed. "Raven, please," murmured Arella, who really wasn't in the mood for playing. As the child continued to laugh, one of the bookshelves collapsed and several tomes and scrolls tumbled forth. Arella rushed over to catch the ancient writings.

"Raven, calm down!" she cried. Eventually, the little girl's laugher subsided and noticing her mother struggle, her head drooped.

"Sorry, Mommy," she whispered. "Let me help you…"

"It's alright, Raven. Just…"

But Raven had already summoned her powers and with the wave of her hand, she conjured up a wave of black energy which covered the materials still on the floor. Raven then began to telekinetically lift the documents from off the floor but was having trouble maintaining both her concentration and grip. She eventually settled with a nearby table as her destination and dumped her catch on top.

"That was…" started Arella. "That was horrible!" cried Raven. "I can't do anything right!"

With that outburst, the table cracked in two and all of the books and scrolls tumbled back onto the floor. "It's fine, darling, really," said Arella, trying to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible, since Raven's temper was starting to cause other items to levitate and fall to the floor.

"How?!" sobbed Raven. "Everything I do is bad! I break things! I make things fall over! I can't even pick stuff up with my mind right!"

"But Raven, think about it. Mommy nor Gayla or John can make things move with their mind. And for you to be able to do it just a little is really saying a lot about you."

With that little revelation, Raven stopped crying and looked up at her mother.

"Really?" she said hoarsely.

"For really really."

Raven wiped her face and was silent for but a moment. She then looked up at her mother again.

"Why were you upset?"

"...Why was I upset?"

"I...heard your thoughts."

Arella's eyes widened. "You…heard my thoughts?"

"Well, sort of. I can sometimes hear what people think and feel what people feel. I knew you were sad about something, so I figured by playing a game with you would make you happy again. But that didn't work. So tell me what you were sad about…"

* * *

><p>Things between mother and daughter grew exceptionally silent for the remainder of the day. While Arella was far too kind to divulge to Raven the truth about her father and of her destiny, she did explain to her that because of her powers she would soon have to go to stay with Azar. And as was to be expected, Raven didn't really take the news well, and she stormed out half-way in the middle of her mother's explanation. In the days leading up for the trip, an iron curtain of sorts hung over the villa: Raven pretty much kept to herself in the garden, while Arella pretty much remained in her bedroom chamber. Then on the night before their departure, Arella received a visitor to her chamber. Thinking it was Gayla, Arella in only her nightgown casually walked to the door and pulled on the door handle – and was most surprised to see Raven.<p>

"Raven?" asked Arella, covering up her chest and reaching for her robe. "Is something wrong? What are you doing still up?"

"Yes," replied the child in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. Arella then stared at the young girl, trying to feel out where exactly this conversation was going.

"I'm…sorry…I'm not perfect…" she replied. "If I was, then I wouldn't have to go away."

Arella felt as if her heart had just broken in two and she took Raven into her arms.

"Oh, Rae-Rae," she sighed. "I couldn't care less if you were perfect or not. No one is perfect anyway. It's just that Mommy doesn't have the skills to teach you what you need to know. And like I said, my friend Azar will do just that."

"Would I get to see you again?"

Arella smiled. "I don't see why not. But you have to realize that it might not be right away. It all depends on your lessons."

Raven nodded and seemed pleased with this answer. "I'm ready for bed now."

"Come along then," replied Arella, taking her by the hand…

With the sense of uneasiness now gone between the two, Arella and Raven began to settle in for the night, and in Raven's bedroom, Arella knelt at Raven's bedside as Raven struggled to put on her nightgown.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" asked Arella, pulling back the sheets.

"Yes. And I'm going to be a big girl. I'm going to learn how to control all of my powers."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Raven then raced over to her bed and crawled under the covers, while Arella tucked her in.

"Try to stay under the comforter, love. It's a cold one tonight. Pleasant dreams, and I'll see you at early light." And with that Arella began to exit the room.

"Mommy?" called Raven. "Yes?" answered Arella, stopping in her tracks.

"…I know I had told you that I was too old for this, but could you sing me the bedtime song tonight?"

Arella turned to face Raven. "Really?"

"For _really_ really. For old time's sake."

Arella laughed. _'A five-year-old going on fifty'_ she mused. But deep down, Arella was quite pleased that Raven had made such a request. Arella promptly returned to Raven's bedside and knelt down beside her once more. Raven meanwhile quickly made herself comfortable and patiently awaited her mother's lullaby...

"_Goodnight, sleep tight. No more tears. In the morning I'll be here…"_

Raven smiled lightly as her eyelids grew heavy and soon closed. Arella brushed back the stray strands of hair from Raven's face and blinked back the hot stinging tears wielding up in her eyes all the while doing her best to not let her voice waver.

"_And when we say goodnight, dry your eyes. Because we said goodnight, and not goodbye…"_

She then carefully rose from Raven's bedside and slowly began to creep out of the room. As she neared the bedroom door, Arella stared at her sleeping daughter's figure for what could probably be for the last time. She then blew out the candle that she was holding and then slowly closed the bedroom door.

"_We said goodnight, and not...goodbye…"_


	16. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Raven stood alone in the villa's garden, her head tilted up towards the heavens and her eyes watching as the dark misty purple hues of the night slowly gave way to the golden rays of the sun peeking over the horizon. The five-year-old had been up for a short while, and was already dressed and packed for the journey to the center of Azarath. And while she knew the trip was mandatory, Raven still wished she could stay at the only place she ever knew as home.

A door was heard opening behind her, and Raven turned to see her mother and John and Gayla stood in the doorway. Arella wore a long billowing gray-blue cloak which greatly concealed her form and had her hood up shielding her face, while John, who was already up to start his chores for the day, was dressed in his usual tunic, tights and boots. Gayla on the other hand appeared to have just woken up, her white hair all askew, and was wearing a robe she had managed to grab to cover up herself.

"Have a safe journey, love," smiled the older woman. "Indeed," said John. "You take care."

"Thank you, Gayla, John," replied Arella, embracing her. "I'll see you both soon."

Arella then turned to Raven, who was watching the display of affection and looking very much like a fish out of water. "Come, Raven," coaxed Arella. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to Ms. Gayla and Mr. John?"

Hesitantly, Raven approached Gayla and John, and looked up into their careworn faces.

"Bye Ms. Gayla," she said in almost a business-like manner. "Bye, Mr. John. Thank you for taking care of me and my mommy. I hope to see you soon."

"So do I," said Gayla, leaning over to hug the little mage. "So do I."

"You're a bright kid, Raven," beamed John. "I know you'll do well."

Just then, a horse-drawn carriage bearing the crest of Azar pulled up in front of the villa and Arella and Raven looked at each other. "Well," said Arella, picking up one of Raven's bags. "I guess we'll be off now."

Gayla, John and Raven nodded, and both mother and daughter exited the villa's courtyard and descended down the cobblestone path. When they reached the carriage, a footman climbed down from the side and politely opened the coach door for them. "Thank you," whispered Arella as he took the ladies' bags and helped Raven climb onboard. She then boarded the carriage and the footman closed the door. He then whistled shrilly to the driver and with a shout and crack of the reins, the carriage was off...

* * *

><p>For the majority of the ride, Raven and Arella rode in silence, practically because neither one really didn't know what to say to the other at a time like this. But eventually it was Raven who broke the deadlock and approached her mother.<p>

"Mommy. What is Azar like?"

Arella turned to look at her daughter and smiled. "Well _Queen_ Azar isn't like me or Gayla or John. She's very serious and diligent about her studies so don't expect there to be much fun and games while with her. But at the same time, she's also a very nice woman. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have had a place to live."

"Really? Why is that?"

Arella sat there stone-faced, and tried her best not to convey to Raven how distressed she was that she'd asked such a dreaded question. But she also knew that lying would only make matters worse. "Well, some time ago and before you were born, I was all alone," she started, choosing her words carefully. "I had no parents and no family, no money and no job. I had absolutely nothing and had nowhere else to go. And then I met Queen Azar who felt sorry for me and for you. She offered up one of her family's vacation homes to stay at and was even willing to pay to feed and clothed us."

Raven looked as if she wanted to ask another question, but repressed the notion and simply nodded at her mother's answer. For the remainder of the ride Arella busied herself with a rather large and thick novel while Raven fiddled with a doll that she had on her person or peered out of the carriage window. In time, Raven noted how the scenery was slowly changing from dense woodlands, to rolling plains, and then to small farms and vineyards. And then, not too far off in the distance, Raven's violet eyes fell upon the glorious sight that was the central city of Azarath and gasped.

"This…is Azarath?" she whispered.

"Indeed," smiled Arella, looking up from her book. "This here is the central marketplace and when many people live and work and go to school."

Raven continued to watch in fascination at the throngs of people walking about the square. To the youth who had lived her entire life in also total isolation, it amazed her to see so many different people of shapes, sizes, ages and colors. In fact, Raven became so lost in window watching that she didn't even realize that they had arrived at Azar's tower. "Come on, Raven," called Arella as she dismounted the coach.

Raven snapped out of her trance and then exited the coach where Arella stood with bags in tow. Arella gestured with her head (since her hands were full) for Raven to walk ahead of her, and the two entered the massive building. Once inside of the tower, Arella left the bags with Raven to watch, and the young adult approached the reception desk to inquire on where to find Azar. From where she stood, Raven watched as her mother stopped to talk to the two men at the front desk. After speaking for a few minutes, the men proceeded to stare at Raven, who immediately sensed their discomfort. But before she could tap into their thoughts to see what was wrong, Arella started back towards her.

"Raven," she murmured, knelling down so that she was at her eye level. "These men here will take you and your things up to Azar's room.

Raven nodded and her eyes started to water. "Please don't cry," said Arella, who wasn't doing much better than she was. "Remember your powers. You'll have to be strong because you're a big girl now."

Raven blinked back the tears and threw herself into Arella's arms. "I'll miss you," she sobbed.

"I know, honey," whispered Arella, stroking her hair. "But I'll be back to visit. I promise. And be sure to listen to Her Majesty and to do as you're told."

"I promise…"

Eventually, Arella forced herself to release Raven, and she slowly rose from the floor. She then nodded at the clerks at the front desk and one of the men began to make his way over to them. Arella then leaned over and gave Raven a kiss on the cheek. "Until next time, my little birdie," she smiled weakly. Raven returned the same faint smile and the clerk placed his hand on Raven's shoulder.

"Milady, if you'll come with me?" he replied plainly. Raven reluctantly allowed herself to be lead away by the clerk and watched as the distance between her and Arella grew larger and larger, until eventually she could see her mother no longer.

"I will send for someone to get your things," said the clerk as the two walked up a winding staircase. Raven however never responded, heavy in thought of the things soon to come. Eventually the two reached the top of the tower which was heavily guarded. The clerk gestured to the guards, and they stepped aside and allowed him and Raven to proceed further.

"Azar is waiting for you in the chamber just up ahead," he replied, and with that disappeared back downstairs. Raven then turned to look at the massive multistoried door before her and slowly approached it. Her tiny little hand rapped on the door so faintly, she was positive no one would hear her. Then, just as faintly, a voice from inside was heard…

"Enter…"

Raven then pushed the colossal door opened and entered the chamber of her soon-to-be teacher. Raven's jaw dropped upon the sight of Azar's chamber. It was a huge room with emerald green marble walls and flooring and large two–story windows. It was decorated in the finest of nouveau art and furniture and virtually every space of the room was covered with plants, bookshelves and scroll racks. Completing the imperial setting was a large Zen garden towards the center of the room with a water fountain at each corner. And there hovering in a lotus position was an elderly woman with long snow white hair wearing a deep purple medieval styled gown…

Raven silently approached the lone woman who remained in her stance. "It is good to see you again, Raven," she said calmly, though not once did she ever open her eyes.

"How can you see me with your eyes closed?" inquired Raven. Azar chuckled.

"Well, you know what I meant." The older woman then broke out of her meditation, slowly landed on the ground and opened her eyes. "Let me have a look at you," she said, getting up from the floor. She then slowly circled Raven while looking her up and down, all the while Raven silently stood her ground. The wise old ruler then looked upon Raven's face and upon it saw so many different emotions that seemed to haunt her.

"For someone so young and full of life, you seem so serious," she said, standing in front of Raven.

"That is because of my powers."

"What exactly about your powers?"

"That I don't understand them. I can't control them…"

"Well, that is why you are here. Tell me, what can you do exactly?"

"Well, I can move things with my mind. I know how to fly and go through walls. And I can…read other people's minds..."

At this, Azar's eyes widened. "I can also feel people's emotions," continued Raven. "But a lot of times things just go wrong and people get hurt."

"I see," said Azar, still surprised at what Raven just told her. "Well let's see if we can figure out what exactly happens each time you lose control. Tell me about the last time this happened."

"I was playing Hide and Seek with my mommy and we were in the library. I made some books fall off of the bookshelves and I tried to help Mommy picked them up with my powers. But it was too hard so I dropped them somewhere else…"

"How did all this make you feel?"

"Well it was fun hiding and scaring Mommy, but then I got sad when I realized I broke the shelf and made a mess. And then I got real sad when I couldn't move the books where I wanted them to go. Then the table broke, and I got mad at myself…"

While Raven spoke, several of the potted plants began to rock in place. "Raven, stop!" shouted Azar. Raven instantly stopped talking and the pottery grew still. Azar looked around the room and then at Raven.

_'It's happening again,'_ thought Azar to herself. _'And it's definite proof that there's a connection between the two.'_

"What?" asked Raven. "I think I know what the focal point of your powers is," answered Azar. "It's your emotions."

"My emotions?"

"I have reason to believe so, yes. Sadness and anger caused you to lose focus, while things such as happiness caused a surge or a sudden increase in power. Somehow, everything that you can do is affected by how and what you're feeling."

"But what about me hearing thoughts and feeling emotions?"

Azar grew silent again. _'That is a mystery. Perhaps it's because of your father?'_

"I do not know," said Azar out loud.

"Is it because I'm…different?"

Azar cursed to herself and looked up at Raven once more. "What is wrong with being different?" she reasoned. "I have different hair and eyes than your mother, and your mother's a different body type from Gayla."

"But I'm _really _different," said Raven pitifully. "I'm the only person in all of Azarath who looks the way I do, and no one else seems to have the same powers I do!"

Azar looked at the young girl sadly. "You poor thing. Having to go through so much and not understand why."

"What do you mean?"

"You were born different from us, Raven. That's for certain. But always remember that being different is not always a bad thing. You were bestowed very special powers, and I believe that someday when you're older, you will actually be the one to save us all from a most unspeakable evil."

"But, I'm no hero, Azar…"

"No one is born a hero, child. Heroes are made, and you wherever you realize it or not, have the makings of one. But, you also need training to both master your emotional and physical strength. One cannot handle a matter correctly if he lets his personal thoughts and insecurities get the better of him, and this is why you are here today."

Raven smiled lightly. "Now then, let's have a little something to eat," said Azar, motioning at the trays of snacks and finger food being brought in by two servants. "You must be hungry after your long journey. After lunch, we will begin your training…"

* * *

><p>"The first thing we must resolve is your controlling your temperament," said Azar to Raven one day while outside in Azar's garden terrace. "You must find a way to stay as calm and collected as possible and at all times. I personally use meditation for that. Managing a small country will make you want to pull your own hair out at times."<p>

A man is heard chuckling and Raven turned to see Coman standing off by the doorway.

"Good day, Mr. Coman," smiled Raven.

"Good day indeed," said Azar, somewhat annoyed with the intrusion.

"Good afternoon ladies," he chirped. "I was in the area, and I wanted to see how Raven's lessons were coming along."

"Well, you're free to sit in if you like," said Azar gesturing for him to have a seat at one of the stone benches. Coman nodded and went to find a seat.

"Now then," continued Azar and Raven quickly returned her attention to her mentor. "Mediation helps by blocking out all outside and inner distractions and thereby it can help you to keep control of your powers."

With that, Azar assumed a lotus position and within moments began to levitate off the ground.

"Servatis a pereculum…" she droned. "Servatis a maleficum…"

"What does that mean?" asked Raven, who then quickly clasped her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry," she squeaked. "I forgot! I shouldn't have interrupted."

"That's fine," said Azar, opening her eyes. "How else will you learn? Anyway in regards to your question, I was chanting my mantra. A mantra is a word or sound used during meditation. It helps to ease stress and the flow of power and consciousness. The words I've chosen are of the Latin tongue. Loosely translated, it means 'protect us from harm' and 'protect us from evil'."

"What words should I use for my mantra?"

"It can be any sound, word or expression with importance to you."

"Well…how would I say that my power comes from Azarath?"

"Your power comes from Azarath?"

"Yes. 'My power comes from Azarath'. All of my friends and family live here in Azarath. And Gayla always said that one can draw strength from family and friends. So, my power comes from Azarath."

"Well, there was an incantation I once used years ago," interjected Coman. "It's from a dead language and it roughly translates to 'my power comes from Azarath'. Repeat after me: Azarath…"

"Azarath…"

"Metrion…"

"Me..tee…rion.."

"Meh-_tree_-on…"

"Metrion…"

"Zinthos…"

"Zin…thos…"

"Now put them all together."

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos?"

"And there you have it."

Raven smiled. "Now let's combined the mantra with mediation," said Azar. Raven nodded and sat on the floor in a lotus position.

"Find your center…and concentrate…" continued Azar. Raven closed her eyes and things grew silent. Then, ever so slowly, Raven started to levitate off the floor.

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…" she chanted. Azar and Coman simply smiled.

* * *

><p>Time slowly passed by and Raven, now eight years old, was getting close to successfully mastering her powers. Sure there was the occasional random flying book or exploding vase, but it was nothing compared how things once were. And with this achievement, Raven was allowed to freely walk about Azar's Tower and take in the sights. Raven would often journey down to the Grand Study Hall on the ground level of the tower. It was here where several scholars who had mastered the Heraldic Arts taught the younger ones of Azarath, and Raven, a lover of books and history often crept in to listen in on their studies. On one particular afternoon, Raven was on her way down to the Grand Study Hall when she overheard a fierce conversation between Azar, one of the teachers and two students.<p>

"I will _not _apologize to her!" screamed the male student. He had carrot-red hair and green eyes and looked to be a few years older than Raven. "Why should I when our so-called grand leader is protecting a murderer?"

Raven grimaced. _'Who is he talking about?'_ she questioned. _'Azar would never do something like that.'_

"Magnus, control your tongue!" barked the teacher. "Regardless of whatever grudges you hold, that gives you no right to insult Her Majesty and those she keeps company with."

The boy called Magnus snarled and folded his arms. The other student, a girl of about ten years of age and with blond hair and blue eyes stepped forth, her bangs sweeping across her forehead and covering her face.

"I apologize for upsetting everyone," she said timidly, never once looking up at the women of authority.

"As long as you realize why what you did was wrong and why you will be punished," continued the teacher.

The girl nodded while Magnus continued to refuse to make any response. "Very well then," spoke the teacher. "The two of you will serve detention after studies for one entire week. You are to assist with the cleaning and tidying up of the Grand Study Hall."

The girl nodded slowly, and Magnus scoffed.

"You have to be kidding me!" he shrieked.

"Does it look like I'm jesting? Now then, you two are free to go."

And with that, Magnus and the girl raced off away from Azar and their professor. "The gall of those two!" he said harshly to his classmate. "How can Azar call herself a great leader and still defend the likes of that _girl_?"

As they rounded the corner, Magnus in all his haste crashed into Raven, who because of her pallid complexion grew red in the face.

"I'm sorry," she stuttered, both embarrassed and worried to be discovered for eavesdropping.

"Ugh! It's _you_!" hissed Magnus.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "What are you _talking_ about?" she asked.

"Stupid witch," he murmured and briskly brushed past her. "Come on, Ariel," Magnus called to the girl. Ariel looked at Raven sadly and quickly followed after him. Raven watched as the two raced off out to the outer courtyard and sighed deeply.

"Don't let Magnus's words bother you," said Azar, walking up behind her.

"But I can't help it," replied Raven. "What does he have against me? Up until today I never even knew he existed."

"It's a long story, and one that is entitled for another day."

Raven looked at her mentor's face, which was etched in sadness and distress. "Why did you let him say such things about you?" asked Raven. "You're a good person. You'd never associate yourself with murderers!"

Azar smiled lightly. "Because I know it not to be the truth. Magnus is feeding off a lot of negative feelings and misplaced animosity. If he only knew the truth about what really happened eight years ago, he'd understand better. More importantly, he and his sister had to understand that spreading slander and enciting to riot will not under _any _circumstances be tolerated, especially when directed towards me and my friends."

"Does that include me?"

"Of course it does. You're like the daughter I never had…"

* * *

><p>Ever since that one fine day, the master and her apprentice grew closer to one other. Up until that point, Raven never realized how much Azar valued her. Having never married and have born no children of her own, Raven in essence really was like the daughter Azar never had. And although Azar had brothers and sisters and in-laws, it always seemed to be Raven that she was the closest with. Perhaps it was because in some ways Azar saw an earlier form of herself in Raven, a young powerful mage with a great deal expected of her but with no real friends to support her. And Raven soon realized how much she needed Azar. While Arella would on occasion come to visit, it was often Azar who Raven would approach with her deepest concerns and her brightest of dreams. And it was Azar who taught Raven how to manage her power and emotions. Azar as far as she was concerned was Raven's second mother, and thought the world of her loving mentor.<br>**  
><strong>As the years slowly drifted by, Raven soon reached her tenth birthday, and as was the custom, a small private celebration was held in Azar's chamber. Among the invited guests were Arella, Gayla, John, Coman and a small host of others who'd come to know and love Raven. As Raven blew out the birthday candles, Azar stood a ways off from the celebrating group out on the terrace. She smiled wearily as the men and women she'd come to know as her second family laughed and enjoyed one another's company despite the age and cultural differences among them. It was the very scene of what her grandfather had set out to create for his family and friends several hundreds of years ago when he first journeyed to Azarath. Realizing that she finally made his dream come true, Azar wept silently.

"I've finally completed your mission, Grandfather," she whispered to herself. "I hope you are proud of what I've tried to do for your people."

The elderly mage then slowly approached her family and friends, who now were enjoying Raven's birthday cake and other fine cuisines.

"I'm feeling a bit fatigued," she said softly. "I'm going to retire for the night."

The others bid Azar a pleasant night, and the elderly ruler opened an inner door and entered the corridor that led to her bedroom chamber. Before she disappeared from view, Raven raced up to her and cried out, "Until the morn, Azar!"

Azar smiled lightly. "Until the morn…"


	17. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

"_Azar, what happens to us when we die?"_

Raven sat in her bedroom chamber in total darkness, the preteen haunted by floating words from a conversation she'd had long ago…

"_No one really knows for sure. Some believe that if you've lived a good life, you get to go to Heaven or are reborn into an individual destined for a blessed life. If you've lived a bad life, you're condemned to burn in Hell or reborn in a person destined for much suffering. And if you fall somewhere in-between, you're confined to some sort of ambiguous realm where nothing exists and where one can easily lose his or her mind…"_

Raven squinted her eyes closed to try to keep the tears from falling, and amiss the darkness she heard something topple over onto the floor…

"_Well what do __you__ believe?"_

Raven got up off from the floor and drifted over to her bedroom window. The moon was out and in the distance a shooting star could be seen racing across the sky. But Raven knew there was little hope that any amount of wishing could undo the curse that so unexpectedly struck so close to home…

"_Well, I believe that when we die, that's pretty much it: the end. We lose all consciousness and all ties with this world, and thus we are put to rest eternally in peace. After all, life isn't easy and sadly for some, death is sometimes awaited with open arms."_

"_So all the friends that we make, we lose them forever?"_

"_Forever in body, yes, but never in spirit and mind. People die, Raven. That is a cruel reality of life. But even in death, love- real love - goes on forever …"_

"Forever…" whispered Raven to no one, and closed her eyes once more. Since the evening of Raven's tenth birthday, Azar had fallen ill with a most unpleasant and unknown illness, and for the past two weeks, the beloved monarch laid bedridden in her chamber. Many doctors and faith healers professed that she would in time become well again, and great optimism hung over the entire land. However to one lone girl with the gift of empathy and telepathy, it was easy to tell that it was all a mere ruse. To make matters worse, Raven - while searching for answers on how Azar became sick so quickly - had recently stumbled across the fact that her mentor had in truth been ill for quite some time…

"Why did you hide this from us?" continued Raven to herself. "We could've helped you. Did you think of yourself as being a burden?"

Once again, the sound of something toppling over in the darkness was heard, but Raven was too beside herself to care. However, she also knew that if she didn't get her act together, her anxiety over Azar's welfare could do a lot of harm. Raven then quickly assumed a lotus position and began to mediate…

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…" she droned as she slowly began to levitate off the floor. And in that moment, Raven felt a great deal calmer than she had been.

_'Perhaps I was being too negative'_, she thought to herself. _'After all, I would be able to sense when…'_

A surge of energy coursed through Raven's body and with a yelp, she tumbled back onto the floor. With eyes as large as saucers, Raven panted as she dwell upon the frightening omen that swept across her very being…

"Azar!"

Raven gasped and bounded for the door. As she burst through the door and throughout the tower, several others cried out in shock as both the momentum and speed of the young girl literally knocked them off their feet. But Raven didn't care. Their injuries, if any, wouldn't be life-threatening and she would see them tomorrow.

But not Azar. Azar couldn't wait. And neither would Raven...

The unnerved girl reached Azar's chamber in record time and as she burst through the door, a most unsettling sight laid before her. There were numerous nursemaids and those of the royal magistrate class in the room, all of them standing in silence as if they were at a viewing. And beside Azar's grand king-size bed was a a holy man of some sort reciting the Last Rites. But the most troubling sight was that of Azar. The stern yet loving 'mother' to all of Azarath laid lifelessly on top of the sheets to her bed, her hands interlocked with each other, her long white hair which normally flowed gracefully behind her all askew and a face which seemed to have aged so rapidly over the past few days.

"Raven!" gasped one of the nursemaids, and rushed over to her side. "I…"

"Why did anyone tell me that she was dying!" screamed Raven. "You know I would have wanted to be here!"

"Raven, please…" said the nursemaid, trying her best to pacify her. "We knew how upset you'd be and we thought it was best…"

"I don't believe this!" Raven shrieked and pulled on her hair. "Oh, Azar!" she moaned.

"What is it, dear child?" said a tired voice. Everyone stopped and turned to Azar, who wearily opened her eyes.

"She lives!" cried out one of the magistrates.

"Raven, please come closer," Azar whispered. Raven left the doorway and slowly approached Azar's side and it wasn't until then when she realized just how frail her loving mentor was.

"Oh Azar," said Raven, extending her hand and gingerly touching the older woman's arm.

"It's alright, Raven," Azar said hoarsely. "Calm down."

"How can I when you're leaving us? When you're leaving _me_?"

"No one lives forever, Raven. Even if I wasn't sick, I would eventually have to go."

"It still isn't fair!"

"It may seem so, but at the same time maybe it's not. I've lived a full life, and I've done all I could to ensure the safety of my people. And as I stand at the gateway to greet Hades himself, I know have no reason to be afraid, knowing I did the best that I could and made the best out of my life."

Raven sniffled. "Come here," whispered Azar, gesturing for her to come closer. Raven hiccupped between sobs and reached over to embrace Azar. Her grip was somewhat strong for Raven feared that the second she'd let go, so would Azar on her hold for life. But Raven also wanted to make sure that she wasn't hurting Azar as well.**  
><strong>  
>"Dear Raven, and fellow noble people of Azarath," murmured Azar. "It has been a privilege to both befriend and lead you over these past seventy some odd years. I know that I can rest easily knowing that the future of our world rests in such capable hands..."<p>

The other guests in the chamber nodded and some did their best to repress the tears. Raven meanwhile had begun to daydream, and dreamt of the more happy times when everything was just right…

* * *

><p><em>A young Raven raced through the wintry wonderland known as the Great Woods of Azarath. Every once and a while, Raven, Azar, and in some cases Arella and Gayla, would journey to this isolated stretch of woodland to enjoy both the beauty of nature and each other's company. On this special occasion, Raven flew ahead of Azar, who followed her at a distance to monitor her speed and agility.<em>

"_Raven!" called Azar to her ward. Raven however smirked and suddenly disappeared. Azar stopped and looked around, the snow silently falling around._

"_She loves to do this," said a voice from behind. Azar turned to find Arella standing not too far off from her._

"_I swear that girl must inherit her stealth from you," smiled Azar._

"_Sorry," laughed Arella. "But, I'm surprised at you, Azar. You're out here playing games with her?"_

"_You make me sound like an old prude, Arella. Raven's a child, and children need a little time now and then to burn off steam. And whether she realizes this or not, this seemingly innocent game of Hide and Seek is really training her to be able to outmaneuver her enemies."_

"_Ah, the old 'two birds with one stone' tactic. That's the Azar I know and love."_

"_Oh shut up…"_

_The two women walked about the woods in search of Raven, their footsteps crunching in the pristine white snow. "I have to say that I envy you a little," said Arella looking up into the trees._

"_You envy me?"_

"_Yes. I can tell how fond Raven is of you."_

"_Oh Arella. Raven_ is_ like the daughter I never had, but you will always be her mother."_

"_I know. But you two have that special bond. You both understand the Heraldic Arts so well, and the time and effort you two spent honing in on her powers..."_

"_Yes, I suppose so."_

"_But still, I'm happy that she has someone else to look out for her."_

_Azar smiled and upon nearing a hollowed willow tree, she motioned for Arella to be silent. She then crept up and leapt out around the left-hand side of the tree – only to find no one there. Azar looked around in bewilderment while Arella laughed to herself. Raven then phased in from the ground and stood before her loving matriarchs._

"_That was pretty clever," said Azar. "You're getting better at this."_

"_Thank you," said Raven, walking alongside of her mother…_

* * *

><p>Raven snapped out of her trance and found herself back in Azar's arms. She blinked back tears, though some of them proved to be far too stubborn and they ran down the side of her face.<p>

"I really wished you'd stay here with me," said Raven softly. "We're all so lost without you."**  
><strong>  
>Azar sighed softly, and Raven cringed when she felt her very life force begin to fade away. "Azar?" she whispered.<p>

Much to her dismay, Raven got no response. "Azar?!" said Raven more forcefully. And still her cries went without a response.

"AZAR!"

"Raven," said Coman, stepping forth and pulling the bawling girl away. "God, no…" she said, almost inaudibly. "Not her…why her…" she began to babble incessantly. Coman then took Raven into his arms and began to carry her out of the room.

"Send a messenger," he announced to one of the servants present. "Ring the vespers and proclaim to all: Our dear Lady Azar is no more."

He then exited the room, with Raven crying and sobbing all the way. All throughout the tower, random objects broke and flew out of their place, and in one instance, a portrait of Azar herself fell from the wall, its brass frame cracking upon impact with the stone floor…

* * *

><p>Three days passed, and outside of one of Azarath's largest temple, the grand funeral of Azar was being held. Not one soul dared to be absent, and even those lame and bedridden made an effort to attend. As the funeral procession marched through the heart of the city, numerous people shouted out their condolences and blessings towards the friends, family and their beloved fallen ruler. Azar's casket, which was made of white cedar and stained ivory white and gold, was carried by six of Azar's closest friends, and following the pallbearers were Azar's surviving family, Coman and the remainder of the Royal Magistrate, Arella, Gayla, and of course Raven. The funeral procession eventually made its way to the outskirts of the city where a vast field of poppies – Azar's favorite flower- grew, and it was here when Azar was to be buried. The hole was soon dug up and after the priest and Azar's family and friends have had their final say, the casket was lowered and all in attendance partook of the tradition of leaving a solitary rose on top of the casket.<p>

When it was Raven's turn, the young dark mage approached the opening in the earth and stared at the casket, silently wishing that this day and the many that led up to it was all a cruel joke. Eventually, Raven worked up the nerve to finally let go of the rose, but not before deliberately pricking her finger on one of the many thorns. As the rose silently floated down onto the casket, Raven walked away with an unreadable look upon her face. Coman, Gayla and Arella stood with bated breath and were ready to offer a shoulder to cry on, but Raven didn't even acknowledge their presence.

"Aren't you going to say at least goodbye to her?" asked one observer. Raven slowly turned to him and frowned. She then brushed past the man and began to walk off into the distance, silently singing to herself:

"We say _goodnight_, and not _goodbye_… We say _goodnight_…and not _goodbye…_"


	18. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Autumn: the season of the harvest and the time of year for many people to either take stock in or express their appreciation for all of the bounties and provisions they have toiled for or were blessed with. For others however, the fall season is more of a time of melancholy since the warm days and the aspirations of the summer are now over, the coldness and loneliness of winter is just on the horizon, and the bright, cheerful welcome of spring seems further away than ever before. As the days grow gray and shorter, and the nights longer and colder, people have a tendency to hibernate as it were, and they can sometimes emotionally fall into themselves. This just so happened to be the tragic case with one forlorn youth: a young girl who was born… 'a little bit' different than her peers and who was treated like an outsider by her people. A young girl who had found a true friend and a mother figure in one of the kindest souls she had ever known, only to then have her snatched away so abruptly that she felt the burn marks not only on her hands but in her heart as well…

"How long has she been sitting out there like that?"

Arella broke her concentration to turn towards the source of the voice: an older man with equally long chestnut brown hair and a long beard. She then turned back to what had originally held her attention: Raven, who was sitting out in the terrace garden in the frigid November air, her back facing the two adults now observing her from the doorway.

"Since last night…" came the woman's soft reply, and the man's blue eyes widened in response.

"Since last night?" he repeated, as if his ears deceived him. The woman simply nodded.

"She hardly ate a thing at dinner last night, and she excused herself shortly afterwards. I came up to check on her close to her bedtime and found her out here. I practically had a one-sided conversation with her, and it ended with her staying out in the garden since she wanted a moment to herself…"

"But Arella, this is crazy. She's not eating and she hardly ever sleeps. She talks to no one albeit a word or two here and there towards me and you, and h…"

"What do you expect, Coman?" snapped Arella, causing the man to recoil slightly. Arella's facial expression and tone of voice then softened upon seeing this. "What do you expect from her? Raven has always felt like an outsider amongst the people of Azarath, and the first person she met outside of her immediate family who loved and respected her for who she was is now dead. I remember when I lost my mother, and it felt like the world was ending. I can only imagine how Raven feels…"

"Believe me, Arella. I'm not heartless. I understand the pain of losing someone dear in death, be it unexpected or not. However, we both cannot kid ourselves that this situation can be handled in the usual ways…"

Arella swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm assuming you're talking about her powers and how her mood influences them?"

"I don't mean to open old wounds…"

"It's ok. I wasn't implying that you were, and believe me, this has been close in my mind since I learned about Azar's illness. The moment it was discovered that it was terminal, I worried how Raven would take it. Now I'm wishing we had told her sooner that Azar was very sick. Maybe she would've had more time to ready herself. Still, I don't want what happened ten years ago to potentially repeat itself now…"

"Indeed. When she experiences extreme anger and sadness, Raven tends to lose control over her powers. Thankfully the only things that have been destroyed since Azar's death are for the most part replaceable. However, in order to insure that we do not have another tragedy upon our hands, we must help Raven to sort through her thoughts and feelings, to give her some sort of outlet that can help her when things get too unbearable for her."

"But how?"

"I know of one way, but it'll mean enlisting the help of his Majesty."

Arella pursed her lips and sighed. "Do you think Argus can really help? Not too many here are fond of associating with us, let alone helping us."

"Trust me, Arella. If anyone can help or understand the seriousness of this, it would be him."

"My Lord Cavill and the Lady Arella, your Majesty."

Coman and Arella bowed and curtseyed deeply in front of Argus, a young man with jet black hair and light blue eyes dressed in a white robe with blue and golden accents. The man glanced up from the book within his hand and he and gestured for them to rise.

* * *

><p>"Lord Cavill, Lady Arella," he smiled lightly. "'Tis good to see you."<p>

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, your Majesty."

"Yes. Thank you very much."

"I understand that the two of you seek my assistance on a most important matter?"

"Indeed." Coman paused to summon the courage and then spoke once more. "I know that our late Majesty had requested on her deathbed that upon her becoming of age, Raven Roth, Lady Arella's daughter would be given the Mirror of Azar. However I feel that the matter cannot wait any longer and that she must receive it now."

Argus's face hardened and he sighed deeply. He had an inkling that whatever Coman and Arella was going to pose to him would be a heavy topic and the mere sight of the two at court often unsettled anyone else who was present. However, Argus knew that Coman was a member of the Royal Magistrate that his late aunt spoke highly of him, and Arella's own daughter was his aunt's ward, so when his page alerted him about their urgent request for an audience, he obliged and conceded to meeting with them in the privacy of his own apartments. He now mentally thanked the Gods for giving him the hindsight to do this. However he also now wished that he could've been prepared to know that _this _was what the couple required of him…

"My aunt entrusted one of our family's most prized and powerful possessions to Raven Roth?"

Coman and Arella briefly exchanged nervous looks. They hadn't anticipated that Azar's successor had no knowledge of one of her last wishes and his tentative reaction did nothing to ease their worries. "Please understand, Your Grace," continued Coman. "Her Majesty beseeched that Raven would inherit the mirror as she knew that it could help her govern her unique powers. As we have learned throughout her time here in Azar's Tower…and unfortunately through the tragedy that had befallen Lord Onyx, Raven's powers fluctuate depending on what she is feeling. Queen Azar had intended to bestow the Mirror of Azar once Raven was mature enough to use it, however…"

"Say no more."

Coman stuttered and then fell silent as he bowed his head once more. A pregnant silence filled the air as he and Arella waited for their king to respond. The couple listened as Argus walked over to the other side of the room and exited through the doorway to the inner sanctum of his chamber.

_'Well, that was interesting…'_ said Arella telepathically to Coman, who sighed.

'_This is not good. Pray gods, what are we to do now?'_

Arella was about to respond when the sound of Argus returning into the outer apartment caught their attention and their heads shot up. To their surprise, Argus was cradling a large wrought iron mirror in both hands. "My aunt was greatly renowned and respected for being a wise woman," started Argus. "While it is unheard of for anyone outside of our family tree and of the Royal Magistrate to be entrusted to any of the Azarathian Relics of Mind, Body & Soul, our Lady Azar would never do so if she didn't trust the person or that person's inner strength."

He then stopped in front of Coman and smiled as he gestured for the wise sage to take the mirror. "Therefore I must trust Raven, and you as well. Take it, with my blessing, Lord Cavill."

At this Coman fell to Argus's feet and Arella beamed with joy. "His Majesty is most gracious," said Coman as he did obeisance to him. "Thank you, thank you…"

"I know how there are some who voice their displeasure that I allow your presence at court…" said Argus, setting his hand on the magistrate's shoulder. "Rather stridently too. However, Coman, you are a member of the Royal Magistrate that my dear aunt always thought highly of and the same goes for you Arella, and Raven too. Despite any opposition directed at you, rest assured that you will always have my support in all that you do."


	19. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Once he had successfully acquired the Mirror of Azar and profusely thanked King Argus once again for his support, Coman wasted no time with his mission to assist Raven. After he had departed from Arella, he made his way back to Azar's old apartments and stood in the doorway leading out to Azar's terrace garden. As he had expected, Raven was still in the exact same position she was when he had first came upon Arella observing her: resting on her knees on the tiled floor and completely motionless. Coman then crossed the threshold and slowly made his way over to the young mage, and he stopped once he stood beside her.

"Good afternoon, Raven."

Raven lazily glanced at Coman out of the corner of her eye, but apart from this, she made no further effort to acknowledge his presence.

"Do you mind if I sit for a moment?"

Raven's eyes panned over to the stone beach opposite both her and Coman and then resumed staring straight ahead of her into the distance. Not knowing what to make of her response – or rather her lack of response – Coman took the initiative and went to sit upon the beach, and gently set down his staff at his feet. The sound of the wood on the tile was enough to direct Raven's attention back to him, but a few scant seconds later, she returned to her unresponsive and rigid state. It was then when Coman took the opportunity to observe Raven even closer. She was dressed literally from head to toe in black. Her boots, her leotard, her cape: all were as black as the night. What was even more surprising was that Raven, despite having an already pallid complexion, looked even paler than ever before. It was a disheartening sight to say the least.

"I know you don't want to talk, Raven. But I would appreciate it if you could offer me a moment of your time."

The pre-teen glanced at Coman out of the corner of her eye once more, though this time, a frown was etched across her face. "I want to help you."

The older man was met with a soft sigh and Raven lowered her head, causing the hood to her cape to fall down and cover her head.

"Raven, please. Your mother and I both love you, and we hate seeing you like this. We know how much you're hurting right now and we want to ease your pain in any way we can. We even sought out the help of the king in order to find a way to help you."

Raven clenched her fists. It was clear that she was becoming agitated as several statues and planters out on the terrace were slowly starting to rattle in place. Coman knew he was treading on thin ice now, but at the same time, there was no going back on this. While he sympathized with Arella's passive approach to allow Raven as much time and space as she needed, he also knew that Raven would eventually have to open up about her feelings. Otherwise, the effects could be – nay- _would_ be catastrophic…

"Please Raven. I even brought something that…that _she_ wanted you to have."

The pottery and statues instantly stopped moving, and Raven quickly turned to face Coman, her violet eyes piercing through him. "You…have something from…?" she whispered.

At this Coman reached into the depths of his tunic and revealed the Mirror of Azar. Naturally intrigued, Raven summoned her powers and encased the mirror in obsidian energy. Coman willingly allowed Raven to then telekinetically carry the mirror over to herself, and she gripped the heavy item firmly with both hands.

"That is the Mirror of Azar," stated Coman. "It has been passed down from three generations of Azar's family and it was also one of her most cherished belongings. Before she had gotten sick, Azar had always expressed how she wanted you to have the mirror, but we all felt that you weren't ready to wield it yet. Then right before she passed away, Azar made me and your mother promise that we would make sure that you would get the mirror, and that you would receive it on your sixteenth birthday. However, I think that now is the time that you should have it."

"…What does it do?"

"It's a very special tool used to assist mediation. As strange as it sounds, this mirror can actually allow a person to visit the depths of his or her own mind. Once there, it is easier for a person to focus on any thoughts or problems or concerns they may have and therefore get a handle or even get rid of any bad thoughts or feelings that they're holding onto."

Raven nodded absentmindedly, her pale fingers rubbing along the mirror's reflective surface. "Azar once showed me how to utilize the mirror," continued Coman. "With your permission, I'd like to teach you how to use it too. It may help you, Raven, not only now, but in the long run as well."

A heavy silence filled the air. After what felt like an eternity, Raven finally spoke.

"…She really wanted _me_ to have this?"

"It's the truth. When I asked the king for it, even he was surprised since the mirror has never been entrusted to anyone outside of the Royal Family. Azar always thought highly of you, Raven, and she was always thinking of ways for you to increase your potential. If anyone was to inherit the mirror, it would've been you."

"…And…you really think this could help?"

"In more ways than you'd ever know. You can trust me on this, Raven. Once you incorporate the mirror into your life, things will get better. Life _will_ be better."

Raven pursed her lips and furrowed her brow, and Coman couldn't help but note how much Raven resembled her mother, despite her having such exotic features. They both had the same pensive, analytical and calm approach to life. She then gestured for him to take the mirror.

"Then you must show me."

Coman smiled and gestured for Raven to walk over to him. "Very well. I want you to look at your reflection and concentrate on it. Imagine that you and I are being pulled in. You know if you are doing it right when your reflection changes into the image of a hand. It's a little unnerving when the hand first reaches out at you, but it'll be ok. Allow the hand to take hold of you, and you'll be transported inside."

Raven nodded and sternly gazed into the mirror. After a few moments, she gasped as she, just as Coman forewarned her, saw a hand slowly reaching up towards her. The shock of the image was almost enough to cause her to drop the mirror, and a nearly vase out on the terrace shattered, but Coman's hand shot out to grab hold of the mirror's base and he rubbed Raven's shoulder with the other hand.

"It's ok," he reassured. "I'm right beside you. Just keep concentrating." Raven nodded and took hold of the mirror once more. She stared down her reflection and she was more prepared the second time around when the phantom hand reappeared. Guided by Coman, Raven set the mirror safely down on top of the bench, and the two stood side by side and watched as the hand outstretched from the mirror's surface and grabbed hold of Raven, who instinctively clamped onto Coman's arm and the two disappeared into a vortex of dark energy. Seconds later, Raven still had Coman in a death grip when he gingerly patted her on the head.

"You did excellent, Raven. Open your eyes. Look and see for yourself…"

Raven slowly opened one of her eyes, and immediately opened the second one once she took in her surroundings. The pair found themselves on top of a sizeable island floating in an infinite space, and the sky was of a celestial midnight blue and purple hue with numerous stars twinkling in the background. She also noticed that floating quite some distance away from them and circling the little island was a round stone pathway, and positioned every few hundred feet or was a massive door. In total, there were nine of these doors.

"…This is what my mind looks like?" asked an awe-struck Raven. Coman nodded.

"Indeed. I must say that this is fascinating, though I wonder why you have doorways here…"

"Does this mean that something's wrong?"

"I seriously doubt it. Each person is unique, Raven, so the appearance inside of each person's mind is equally unique as well. Keep in mind too that I've only been inside of Azar's and my own mind, so perhaps there are others out there whose mental plane resembles yours in some ways. In any event, maybe we should start investigating each one to see where they le..."

Coman's mouth hung as he stared off into the distance. Puzzled, Raven turned to see what suddenly now had his undivided attention and gasped.

"This…That can't be…"


	20. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

Coman's mouth hung as he stared off into the distance. Puzzled, Raven turned to see what had suddenly gotten his undivided attention and gasped.

"This…That can't be…"

Raven rubbed her eyes as if she was seeing things, then stared in disbelief at a figure which had appeared on the island about a hundred feet away from them. It was a preteen girl, who surprisingly looked just like her, with the only difference being that her shoes and cloak were of a pastel blue and her sad eyes were reddened from either fatigue or from crying...

"She looks just like me!" said a dumbstruck Raven. She then turned to Coman, hoping that he would have an answer for her.

"Coman, what's going on?"

Poor Coman looked still confused as ever by this recent turn of events. "I haven't the slightest clue," he finally said then slowly and cautiously began to move Raven behind him. "I've never seen anything like this before. We better keep our distance, Raven, just to be on the safe side until we know for sure if this…_girl_ is dangerous or not…"

The duo slowly began to back away…

"There's really no need to be wary of her…"

The sound of a girl's voice from behind them greatly startled Coman and Raven, who all but jumped into her instructor's arms,and they whirled around to find another yet doppelganger of Raven's. This one however wore a yellow cape and boots and a pair of glasses which were tethered to a chain that hung around her neck. Upon seeing their frightened looks, the strange, studious looking girl's face and tone of voice softens...

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Raven raised an eyebrow and she slowly approached her, uh 'twin'. "Um, okay? And you are…?"

The yellow clone smiled lightly. "Well, Raven, I am, well…you."

Raven and Coman blinked. This "head trip" was getting more confusing and confusing by the second.

"What? That can't be!"

"Please explain yourself, young lady," coaxed Coman. "Yeah, because you're make any sense," chimed Raven.

"But it's the truth," urged the yellow-cloaked 'Raven'. "I _am _you, Raven, or at least a part of you. You see, I represent your intelligence and common sense. I'm the part of you that helps you stay level-headed and to make good decisions, and I'm also the one that helps you out when it comes to your taking in knowledge from personal study, schooling, mediation or from my all-time favorite…reading."

"So that girl over there…" started Coman, pointing at the light blue cloaked 'Raven'. "She's a part of Raven too? Another emotion or another facet of her personality, I should say?"

Raven's intelligence nodded. "Yes. There are nine of us together that dwell here." Coman then turned back to stare at Raven's other and very tangible emotion in the distance, the peculiarity and phenomenon of what was unfolding in front of his very eyes clearly fascinating and exciting the worldly wizard. "Extraordinary…" he breathed airily. Raven's face meanwhile scrunched into a frown as she soaked in all of Intelligence's information.

"So then, you're my intelligence. What does that make _her_ then?"

Intelligence looked at her sisterly sentiment and her smile weakened slightly. "She…would be your sadness."

Raven turned back to what she now knew as her sadness and stared. Her face then brightened as if the greatest of ideas had suddenly overtaken her. "Perfect. She's just the one we need to see then." She then turned to Coman and started to march off towards Sadness.

"Let's go, Coman," she said with enthusiasm. "We need to stop her control over me bef…."

However, Raven jumped back as she suddenly found Intelligence hovering before her.

"Wait! Before you go…"

"What?" said a slightly annoyed Raven. "If she's my sadness, she's responsible for my being miserable and she's therefore also the cause of my powers running amok, yes? Well then we've got to do something then before, well, before something really bad happens!"

"I know, Raven, I know, but you can't just go off storming over there like you're going to attack her. You'll need a plan. You see, all of your emotions…"

Suddenly, Sadness disappeared from the island, and a strong gust of wind from out of nowhere caused the trio to lose their footing. They screamed as the wind quickly turned into a violent cyclone which howled and spun them around in the air capriciously…

"What in the name of Azar's happening!?" shouted Coman. "It's a mood swing!" answered Intelligence. "Raven, you must calm down! Mood swings are hard to weather for even us emotions, and there's no telling what could happen if you or Coman are hurt while in here!"

"I can't! I don't even know what I said or did to start it!"

"This is not good!" said Intelligence anxiously. "That's to say the least!" retorted Coman who flapped around aimlessly. "If we get separated…!"

"I don't want to even think about that!"

"Raven! Coman! Here! Grab my hand!"

"We're…trying…Intelligence!"

"I can't…reach…!"

"Oh no!"

But it was to no avail. The sudden tornado separated the trio and catapulted each of them through three of the floating doors…


	21. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

Coman landed very hard in a field of lilac, lavender and purple geranium flowers. The second he touched down, he staggered up to his feet and looked around as he got his bearings, rubbing his right arm since it was understandably sore from his less than graceful landing…

"Raven! Intelligence! Are you girls alright?!"

Apart from the birdsong and the gentle breeze that caused the flowers to sway faintly, Coman heard nothing. Looking around cautiously, he tried to get an idea on which way to head, but was met with the sight of a seemingly endless carpet of purple flowers all around him.

"Raven?! Intelligence?!"

But there was still no response. Bending over to pick up his staff, Coman looked around one last time, and then started walking...

'_It'll do me no good to just stand around here,'_though Coman. '_The one person who could explain what to do is Gods only knows where, and Raven…poor Raven. This is all so very new to her and all of this hitting her all at one time can't be good for her. I've got to find them both if I have any hope of helping her…and of finding my way out of here…'_

Coman continued on his trek, and eventually he began to see other things, namely huge blooming wisteria and magnolia trees in the distance. As he got closer to the towering trees, Coman swore that he could also heard wind chimes floating in the air. He stopped in his tracks to listen for the direction the chimes seemed to be coming from and then when he placed it, began walking in the same direction. It turned out to be a smart move on Coman's part, for it wasn't very long afterwards when he came upon a clearing in the wooded glen, and knelling down to tend to what appeared to be an animal of some sort was once again, a young girl who looked just like Raven, only she was wearing a purple cape and set of purple boots. The young girl turned at the sound of Coman rustling through the flowers and smiled warmly as she rose gracefully to her feet.

"Hello Mr. Coman," she greeted. Coman smiled lightly.

"Good day. Forgive me if I'm interrupting something."

"Oh no, not at all." The purple-cloaked 'Raven' then noticed that Coman was favoring his hurt arm and tenderly reached out to take his arm. "It looks like you've had quite a trip. Please…"

She gestured at the large flat boulder only a few feet away from her. "Come sit by me."

Coman smiled again, for the girl's pleasant demeanor was very comforting and inviting after his mini ordeal. The two then went to sit on the boulder and the young girl smiled once again. "I have met one of Raven's emotions before I winded up here," started Coman. "Her intelligence as she introduced herself. I assume that you too are a part of Raven, yes?"

"That's right. You could say that I'm Raven's affection, the part of her that allows her to be kind and considerate towards others as well as to feel love towards others." Affection then beamed slightly. "All that I am, all that you see here is thanks to people like you, and Ms. Gayla, Mr. John, Mother and…"

Affection's voice trailed off, and a wistful look appeared on her face. Coman nodded to convey his understanding. "I know. We all miss Azar terribly, Affection. That is why I'm here. I had used the Mirror of Azar to help Raven get in better touch with her emotions, to get a better handle on how to deal with her grief. However, we never imagine to stumble upon all… of this…not in a million years."

He then placed a hand on her shoulder. "And I need your help. Intelligence says that it was a mood swing that happened a few minutes ago, and it somehow launched me here. But I have no idea where "here" is."

"Each of Raven's emotions has a place inside of her to call her very own. The mood swing it seems threw you into my home. There's a chance it could've thrown Intelligence here too, or into one of the other emotions' realms."

"And Raven…?

* * *

><p>Raven stood in front of a building that was both colossal and intimidating in appearance. The building in question resembled that of a security fort, complete with looming sentry towers, barred windows, a marshy moat and a rusty wrought iron portcullis. Raven then began to take in her surroundings, for the fortress's landscaping (if you could call it that) was even more menacing-looking. Everywhere that she looked, Raven could see nothing but bare trees, prickly briar patches, and piles of dry dead leaves and fallen branches all around…<p>

"Where in the name of Azar am I?"

Raven went back to study the stronghold before her. While the building gave off a strong sense of unfriendliness, it was also rather strange that its drawbridge was lowered and the portcullis to the main entrance was raised up. It was almost like someone wanted Raven to go inside…

"Yeah, I don't think I want to go in there," murmured Raven. She turned around and began walking down a path that was littered with dead leaves, the sound of her crunching footsteps echoing in the otherwise eerily silent air…

"Turn back…"

Raven's head whipped around to the source of the disembodied voice so quickly, it was a miracle she didn't give herself whiplash. Glancing up into the gnarled branches overhead, she spotted a lone raven with blood red eyes. But animals, let alone ravens couldn't talk…

"Turn back…" it repeated in a soft, child-like and eerie voice.

"What the…?!"

Just then, two more ravens flew down and perched on the branches near the first raven, each one as peculiar and creepy as the first.

"Stay away. Danger ahead. Turn back."

Raven looked at the trio of birds suspiciously. Who or what was it that they were trying to warn her about? Or were these creatures trying to set her up for a trap instead? Better yet, why did something about these birds seem…familiar?

"TURN BACK! TURN BACK! TURN BACK!"

Raven shrieked and bolted back towards the fortress as the ravens took on a more terrifying appearance. Their dark plumage now looked haggard in appearance, and they had razor sharp teeth that lined the inside of their bills. What was even more frightening is that the birds now sported not one but two pairs of red eyes. Raven raced across the drawbridge and through the entrance of the fort, narrowly missing getting run through and through when the portcullis suddenly came crashing down. As she struggled to catch her breath and control her racing heart, Raven swore she saw something move out the corner of her eye and just caught the sight of someone slipping away down a darkened corridor...

"Hey, wait!"

Raven took off towards the corridor and grabbed one of the wall torches for illumination, then cautiously proceeded further. She soon wished she hadn't, for the interior of the fort was even creepier than its exterior and outside grounds. Numerous chains and locks secured every door she passed, and she could hear the nervous breathing of someone echoing in the empty hallways...

"H-hello? Is someone there?"

The panicky, shallow breathing sounded like it was starting to move away from her, so Raven ventured deeper into the belly of the building. Soon she heard footsteps racing away, and Raven followed suit.

"Wait a minute! I need to talk to you!" But the footsteps only increased in pace.

"Stop! I need your help!"

Raven rounded the corner with such reckless abandon that she collided into someone who was coming from the other direction. Her torch fell to the stone floor and into a puddle, which quickly extinguished it. "Hey! Watch where…" snarled the mysterious being, whose voice trailed off suddenly. "Oh," she murmured upon seeing Raven's fallen form. "It's you."

Raven could tell (or rather assumed) that this was another emotion of hers standing before her. She then heard the girl sigh exasperatedly. "Are you going to take my hand or what?" she huffed.

"Oh!" gasped Raven, who clearly couldn't see it in the darkness and she blindly reached out for it. When the two made contact, the emotion lifted her off of the floor. Raven squinted in the dark, but she still couldn't make out any of her identifying features.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to crash into you like that," replied Raven. "But I was trying to keep up with you."

"Keep up with me? Oh, you mean Neurotic."

"Neu…rotic?"

"Another word for 'anxious' or 'fearful'. She spooks easily, you see. Scared of her own shadow, that one."

"I see. Well, uh, maybe you could help me then. I was trying to speak with Sadness before this mood swing thing threw me in here. You think you could…"

"Show you the way to her? Yeah, I don't see any problem with that. Come on, I even know a shortcut."

Raven nodded and it was only then when they neared another wall torch when she finally got a good glimpse of the emotion who was leading her away, and noted that she was wearing a red cape and pair of boots.

"By the way, which emotion of mine do _you_ represent?" asked Raven. The red-cloaked emotion looked over her shoulder and grinned, her crooked smile revealing what almost looked like fangs.

"Let's just say that I'm the part of you that doesn't take no nonsense from anybody. You got an emotion giving you trouble, I'll show you how to handle her. Trust me…"


	22. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Raven eyed her red cloaked counterpart warily as the two of them stood in the gloomy halls of Neurotic's heavily barricaded refuge. It was rather strange to Raven, because although the girl in front of her was clearly a part of her multi-faceted personality, there was just something about her attitude that was unsettling. There was just something about her that was a bit troubling, menacing and even a bit inhuman…

"Let's just say that I'm the part of you that doesn't take no nonsense from anybody. You got an emotion giving you trouble, I'll show you how to handle her. Trust me…"

"I see," replied Raven slowly. The red Emotionclone frowned in response to this and then threw out her hands as if to coax Raven to challenge her. "What?" she snapped. "You think I'm full of it or something?"

"No, no," said Raven, taking a few nervous steps back. She then sighed and lowered her head. "You definitely look and sound the part. You just have to understand that I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm i_nside_ of my own head right now. This whole… thing is just…so…so unreal."

"And stressful, I bet," replied the red "Raven", who turned to both continue down the hall and to hide the devilish smirk on her face. "Yeah, that Sadness needs to be dealt with ASAP. I gotta say that she's definitely messing with the flow of things in here. Not only is her depression just hard to deal with, but it also will hurt you and everyone else around you in the long run."

"How you figure that?"

"You're kidding right? Think about it: the whole reason why you even came under Azar's care in the first place is because you were to receive training that you would need in your upcoming fight with Trigon the Terrible. If you're all sad and mopey, you can't concentrate on what you're doing, and face it, bad things tend to happen when you're not concentrating on what you're doing. If Trigon was to show up right now, you'd be screwed!"

"But, but that can't happen!" shouted Raven, grabbing the Emotionclone by the shoulder, causing her to twirl around to face her. "That's not how the prophecy goes."

"You think Trigon gives a crap about adhering to a prophecy?" scoffed the red "Raven" and slapping Raven's hand away. "He's Trigon the _Terrible_, not Trigon the Trustworthy. He _can_ and _will_ use any cheap shots, any flaws, any openings he can find to his advantage, and if that means attacking now rather than in six years as the legend states, he will do it. Trust."

Raven's anxious face immediately switched into one of anger. "No," she said defiantly. "This will not happen. I promised Azar that I would defeat Trigon, and I'm going to keep that promise to her." She then looked up into the Emotionclone's face, which was now stoic and unresponsive.

"What do you suggest we do about this?"

"'We'?" said her red look-alike with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, 'we'," said Raven. "I'm obviously the one who'll have to deal with Sadness by myself, but I don't know what are the rules or protocol for disciplining and controlling my emotions while in this…setting. Seeing how you're one of my emotions or personality traits…uh…"

"Brazen."

"Brazen?"

"Yeah, Brazen. That means that I'm bold, straightforward, maybe even a bit pushy and blunt on how I talk or do things. Rather than 'sugar coat' things like many of the others here tend to do, I tell it like it is. People can resent or even hate me for that, but it's too bad. Sometimes, you _have_ to be a little nasty and play a little dirty in order to get things done."

"Then it's going to be you who will help me best how I can effectively stop Sadness. Do we have a deal?"

Brazen smiled and stuck out her hand, which Raven partook of, and the two girls shook.

"Sounds like a plan…"

* * *

><p>"I thank you for your help, Affection," said Coman, as he and the purple cloaked emotion were walking through the forest in her realm. "I wouldn't even have known where to begin to find my way out."<p>

"There's no need to thank me, Mr. Coman," smiled Affection. "It's anything I could do to help. This whole experience is quite new to both you and my mistress. The sooner we find her, the better. There are nine realms or ranges of feelings and thoughts inside of Raven's mind, and we've only touched base with one. She could be anywhere at this point."

"True, but being that this is her own mind, at least she isn't in any real harm."

Affection glanced up at the older man, the warmth from her face melting away slightly. "I wish that were true." She then noticed the alarmed look on Coman's face and sighed. "While there are several different emotions and personalities swirling about and that which make Raven, well, Raven, we all can coexist despite our differences in behaviors, strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately there is one emotion here that is for a lack of a better word, trouble. She is Raven's rage, her dark, treacherous and most wicked of emotions."

Coman looked at Affection worriedly when Intelligence suddenly appeared alongside of them. She appeared as if she had been travelling or was at least rushing for quite some time since she was clearly winded. "Thank Azar I found you two!" she gasped. "Affection…have you…"

"Seen Raven? No I haven't. I was just leading Mr. Coman out of my home to go look for her when you showed up."

Intelligence sighed exasperatedly and dramatically. "This is bad, you guys," she moaned. "I've already been everywhere! Sloth's grotto, Happiness's meadow, Timidity's maze, Bravery's treehouse, Neurotic's sanctuary, my library, the ocean of Sadness, even that cesspool Rage calls a home."

"Affection was just telling me a bit about Raven's rage," said Coman. "Is she really as…evil as she is made out to be?"

"That would be an understatement, Mr. Coman," said Intelligence, taking off her glasses to clean their lens. "It saddens me to even be distrustful of any of my sisterly emotions, but Rage also frightens me – frightens many of us - when she has her outbursts and deliberately spreads slander, which is why we are also always on our guard when she becomes agitated or hostile, since we never know if or rather _when_ she will betray us all. The fact that things are in such disarray because of Azar's passing and Sadness's unbridled sorrow, not to mention that Rage is nowhere to be found worries me even more."

"Wait," said Affection, looking very concerned. "You didn't actually see or speak with Rage?"

"Like I said, she wasn't in her domain."

"You don't suppose…"

"I don't suppose anything. I _fear_ it."

"Then we haven't a moment to lose if Raven has actually met Rage," said Affection. "This also means that we need to enlist in Neurotic's help."

"I wasn't going to bring this up…" interjected Coman. "…but now I have to ask. Raven has a neurotic side to her?"

"In some ways, you could say, yes," sighed Intelligence. "She represents the finicky or perfectionist side of Raven. Everything has to be orderly, neat and just right, or else nothing _is_ right."

"She's also very nervous of unfamiliar things and people regardless of if they're friend or foe," retorted Affection. "Though this phobia of associating with others is largely in part to the fact that Neurotic is also clairvoyant."

"She's…clairvoyant…" breathed a stunned Coman, before he rubbed his temples. "Yes," answered Intelligence. "In some shapes and forms, Neurotic can see into the future or see into a person's true thoughts or heart. She's actually the one who tipped us off about being cautious about Rage. However, Neurotic is often plagued with seeing some rather dark or ghastly things that may or will happen to those she comes into contact with, so rather than experience the terror of her visions or be ostracized by others when she tells them what she sees …"

"She hides away to protect herself…and in turn them as well."

Affection and Intelligence nodded. "However, we'll have to check in with her again," continued Coman. "We must. From what you say, Neurotic's ability is also the quickest way to find Raven and Rage, and stop them from doing something irreversible."

Affection nodded slowly this time around, while Intelligence folded her arms, sighed and then nodded as well. It was clear that neither emotion was too keen on the idea, but what could they do? The clock was ticking. Intelligence and Affection both extended a hand to Coman, and the moment he partook of them, the trio disappeared from view…

* * *

><p>Raven and Brazen walked in relative silence, the only noise emitting from their footsteps on the gravel pathway and the forlorn calls of birds in the distance. It was some time later in which they had departed from Neurotic's sanctuary, and were now searching for Sadness in her realm. The location in question suitably invoked a strong sense of despondency, as a fine mist covered the area, and the pathway that Raven and Brazen walked along lined a seemingly never-ending body of water. Then, just in the distance and in the center of the dismal sea, was a small island with a lone weeping willow tree. And there, seated beneath the willow tree in a wretched state was…<p>

"There she is," pointed Brazen. She then glanced back at Raven, who stepped up to get a better view.

"Just do what we discussed and you'll be fine."

"I'm going to have to swim out there?" asked Raven unsurely. "Y…you know that I can't swim right?"

Brazen sucked her teeth. "Who said anything about swimming? The water's shallow. Besides, you can fly, remember?"

Raven released the breath she didn't even realize that she was holding and nodded sheepishly. After psyching herself up for the task, she then took to the air and glided over to the island, stopping only a couple of yards away from her target, who apart from the sobs that racked her body, remained unresponsive to her surroundings. After a few uneasy moments (and when it looked like she wasn't going to get anywhere by just hovering in one place), Raven spoke up.

"We need to talk, Sadness."

As Raven suspected, the pitiful emotion ignored her presence, and she continued to hiccup and sob. Raven inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm her nerves and attempted to reach out to Sadness once more. "Sadness, look at me," she said sternly.

Sensing the coldness in Raven's voice, and that it would be ill-advised to continue to ignore her, Sadness slowly lifted up her head, her reddened, puffy eyes meeting her mistress's steely indigo ones. Raven's stance softened a bit when she gazed upon Sadness, but then she felt Brazen's presence, which was no longer on the coastline but several feet behind her. "Go on," Brazen whispered harshly. "Don't be a pushover to this weakling. Remember, _you're_ supposed to be the one in charge around here, not her. Show her that you mean business!"

Raven nodded absentmindedly, and with her resolve strengthened, she pressed forth. "You know why I'm here, don't you, Sadness?"

Sadness sniffled and feebly shook her head. "It's because of your powers, or rather your influence over me," answered Raven. "Ever since Azar passed…things…they just haven't been right..."

Upon hearing her mentor's name, Sadness exhaled sharply and looked as if she was going to start bawling again. "No!" rebuked Raven harshly. "Don't even think it. This, this right here is exactly what I'm talking about. No more crying from you. I'm not a baby. _We're _not babies!"

"But Raven…" whimpered Sadness. "No!" snapped Raven, her voice echoing across the water. Slightly startled by the severity of her own voice, Raven placed a hand over her heart, while Sadness's lower lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears. "I know we're not babies," said Sadness softly. "But what you're asking from me is impossible. I am your grief, your melancholy. How can I _not_ be sad? You're basically asking me to stop being myself, and I..I just can't do it."

"Then you leave me with no choice. If you won't cooperate with me, I'm going to ha…

"Raven, stop!"


End file.
